[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 4, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7404-S7405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 49--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF JUNE 9, 2003, 
      AS NATIONAL OCEANS WEEK AND URGING THE PRESIDENT TO ISSUE A 
 PROCLAMATION CALLING UPON THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES TO OBSERVE 
   THIS WEEK WITH APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION, PROGRAMS, CEREMONIES, AND 
    ACTIVITIES TO FURTHER OCEAN LITERACY, EDUCATION, AND EXPLORATION

  Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. McCain, Mr. Hollings, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Carper, 
Mr. Inouye, Mr. Breaux, Mr. Sununu, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Reed, 
Mr. Nelson of Florida, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Clinton, and Mrs. Feinstein) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 49

       Whereas 95 percent of the deep ocean is unexplored and 
     unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on Earth 
     for science and civilization;
       Whereas the ocean comprises nearly three quarters of the 
     Earth's surface and sustains 80 percent of all life on Earth, 
     including a large part of the Earth's biodiversity;
       Whereas the oceans play a critical role in the global water 
     cycle, carbon cycle and in regulating climate; and over 90 
     percent of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere, essential to 
     life on Earth, comes from the world's oceans and rivers;
       Whereas the oceans are an important source of food, provide 
     a wealth of other natural products, and the oceans and sea 
     floor contain vast energy and mineral resources that are 
     critical to the economy of the United States and the world;
       Whereas the United States has more than 95,000 miles of 
     coastline and more than 50 percent of the population of the 
     United States lives within 50 miles of the ocean or the Great 
     Lakes;
       Whereas coastal areas are regions of remarkably high 
     biological productivity, are of considerable importance for a 
     variety of recreational and commercial activities, and 
     provide a vital means of transportation;
       Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to 
     change as a direct and indirect result of human activities, 
     and such changes can impact the ability of the ocean to 
     provide the benefits upon which the Nation depends;
       Whereas the rich biodiversity of marine organisms provides 
     society with an essential biomedical resource, a promising 
     source of novel compounds with therapeutic potential, and a 
     potentially important contribution to the national economy;
       Whereas there exists significant promise for the 
     development of new ocean technologies for stewardship of 
     ocean resources that will contribute to the economy through 
     business and manufacturing innovations and the creation of 
     new jobs;
       Whereas the President's Panel on Ocean Exploration 
     recommended to the White House and to the Congress in its 
     Year 2000 final report, ``Discovering Earth's Final Frontier: 
     A U.S. Strategy for Ocean Exploration,'' a 10-year program to 
     launch the first national plan for ocean exploration;
       Whereas the Oceans Act of 2000 passed by the United States 
     Congress authorized the establishment of the U.S. Commission 
     on Ocean Policy and directed it to conduct a comprehensive 
     review of present and future ocean programs and activities 
     and provide comprehensive ocean policy recommendations to the 
     Congress and the President by 2003; and
       Whereas our oceans are vital to our national security and 
     our national economy, and with America's greatest era of 
     ocean exploration and discovery still ahead: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring) That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic 
     future, environmental quality, and national security of the 
     United States;
       (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and 
     promote comprehensive stewardship and understanding of the 
     ocean and the living marine resources it contains; and
       (3) the week of June 9, 2003, be designated as National 
     Oceans Week and urges the President to issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to observe this 
     week with appropriate recognition, programs, ceremonies, and 
     activities to further ocean literacy, education, and 
     exploration.

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today to submit a 
Senate Concurrent Resolution designating the week of June 9, 2003 as 
National Oceans Week.
  As a Nation with more than 95,000 miles of coastline, the United 
States is highly dependent on the resources and services of the oceans 
that affect many important aspects of our lives, often in ways we do 
not fully realize. As Chair of the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on 
Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, I believe it is important for us to 
recognize the many benefits that the oceans provide, and I am happy 
that 19 other Senators are joining me in sponsoring this Senate 
Concurrent Resolution that formally recognizes the ocean's many 
benefits.
  Our oceans are capable of significant biological productivity that 
produces food, which provides nourishment for citizens across the globe 
and sustains fishery dependent communities. Oceans regulate global 
climate and the cycling of oxygen, carbon, and water in our atmosphere, 
and oceans provide a vital means of transporting goods between 
countries and thereby support the global economy. In addition to these 
biological, physical, and economic benefits, the oceans remain a 
largely unexplored domain that can enrich our lives in countless other 
ways. For all these reasons and more, I believe it is important to 
recognize the many ways we rely upon the oceans.
  The capacity of the oceans to supply these resources and services, 
however, is finite. Much of our nation's attention is currently focused 
on several recent reports that point to the destructive nature of 
foreign overfishing, the negative impacts of harmful algal blooms and 
oil spills, and the coastal habitat loss associated with uncoordinated 
development activities. Collectively, these and other human impacts can 
significantly affect how oceans function. We need to be constantly 
looking for ways to minimize these impacts and help sustain the oceans' 
productive capacity, which in turn will provide us with the resources 
that enhance the quality of our lives.
  Given the extent to which the United States depends on and uses the 
oceans, it is incumbent upon us to take a leadership role in ocean 
science and conservation. We must recognize this responsibility and 
continue to seek ways to promote comprehensive stewardship and 
understanding of the ocean and the resources it contains. For this and 
other reasons, I co-sponsored Senator Hollings' legislation 
establishing the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy in 2000, and I look 
forward to reviewing its recommendations later this year.

[[Page S7405]]

  The Resolution we are submitting today urges the President to issue a 
proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe 
the week of June 9, 2003, with appropriate recognition, programs, and 
activities to further ocean literacy, education, and exploration. 
During this week on Capitol Hill, I am pleased to be an Honorary Co-
host of Capitol Hill Oceans Week, a series of events and discussions 
designed to facilitate awareness of the oceans within the Congress. As 
a country, we should use this week to further expand our awareness of 
the oceans and engage in discussions and activities that will help 
ocean resource conservation.
  I would like to thank my fellow Senators who are joining me in this 
effort to establish National Oceans Week, and I hope that this week 
will help contribute to a better awareness of and appreciation for the 
oceans. It is through such efforts that ocean stewardship can expand 
and take hold as an important national ethic.
  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)
 Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I am proud to cosponsor this 
resolution with Senators Snowe, Hollings, and McCain. In 1998 we 
recognized the International Year of the Oceans, and it is time we 
underscore the importance of oceans in our daily lives through an 
annual celebration of National Oceans Week. The global oceans need our 
attention now more than ever. Today, we are faced with the challenge of 
sustainably managing our interactions with the marine environment, in 
the face of increasing pressures from population growth and a global 
economy. While we have been making significant progress in this arena, 
there are constant reminders that we have not yet achieved our goal of 
supporting ocean-related industries while maintaining high ecological 
standards.
  The recent oil spill of the Bouchard barge in Buzzard's Bay, MA, 
vividly demonstrates that we must be ever vigilant in striving for the 
balance between ecological protection and economic growth--as well as 
the need to balance competing economic interests--in this case, an 
important local seafood industry with our need for energy. Although we 
have seen a marked improvement in the safe marine transport of oil 
since the passage of the Oil Pollution Act in 1990, all possible care 
must be taken to ensure that we have a system in place that adequately 
protects our marine environment.
  Marine fisheries are also a vitally important component of our 
coastal economies and culture, especially in the Bay State. We are 
making progress in restoring our overfished stocks to sustainable 
levels, and we are committed to staying the course to reduce mortality, 
improve water quality and restore habitat. But we must press forward to 
ensure all nations are pulling their weight in providing sustainable 
fisheries management. Recent reports show international fleets have had 
a dramatic impact that appears to go largely unchecked. Living marine 
resources, particularly highly migratory species like tuna and 
swordfish, know no boundaries, and we cannot tolerate lawlessness by 
any nation in the management of these stocks.
  The Marine Mammal Protection Act has proved to be a very successful 
conservation tool, bringing numerous species back from the brink of 
extinction. However, there is still much more to be done. I am 
particularly familiar with the example of the North Atlantic right 
whales, one of the most endangered species of marine mammals in the 
world, with a population of approximately 300 individuals. 
Unfortunately, our local New England waters are often the areas where 
these endangered whales literally collide with the fishing industry and 
the marine transportation industry. The plight of the right whales 
highlights the importance of working with a wide variety of interests 
to find solutions that will make a difference.
  Congress has already asked a panel of experts to develop a plan of 
action for our oceans in the Oceans Act of 2000. This federal mandated 
U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy will help us understand what steps are 
needed to advance our knowledge and improve our management of the 
marine environment. Later this year, the Commission will make 
recommendations on how we can improve our ocean governance, investment 
and implementation, research, education and marine operations, and 
stewardship. Despite these great efforts, there is much more to do. 
Increased public attention to our Nation's ocean issues is essential if 
we are to make further headway. This is why, today, I am honored to 
join Senator Snowe in introducing this resolution to declare the week 
of June 9, 2003, as National Oceans Week.

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