[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 149 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6348-S6349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 288--DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING OCTOBER 9, 2011, 
                  AS ``NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK''

  Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Alexander, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Lieberman, Mr.

[[Page S6349]]

Reed, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, 
Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cochran, and Mr. Merkley) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 288

       Whereas in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 
     the first national wildlife refuge on Florida's Pelican 
     Island;
       Whereas in 2011, the National Wildlife Refuge System, 
     administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier 
     system of lands and waters to conserve wildlife in the world, 
     and has grown to more than 150,000,000 acres, 553 national 
     wildlife refuges, and 38 wetland management districts in 
     every State and territory of the United States;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges are important 
     recreational and tourism destinations in communities across 
     the Nation, and these protected lands offer a variety of 
     recreational opportunities, including 6 wildlife-dependent 
     uses that the National Wildlife Refuge System manages: 
     hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, 
     environmental education, and interpretation;
       Whereas more than 370 units of the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System have hunting programs and more than 350 units of the 
     National Wildlife Refuge System have fishing programs, 
     averaging more than 2,500,000 hunting visits and more than 
     7,100,000 fishing visits;
       Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experiences 
     28,200,000 wildlife observation visits annually;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local 
     businesses and gateway communities;
       Whereas for every $1 appropriated, national wildlife 
     refuges generate $4 in economic activity;
       Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experiences 
     approximately 45,700,000 visits every year, generating nearly 
     $1,700,000,000 and 27,000 jobs in local economies;
       Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 
     every kind of ecosystem in the United States, including 
     temperate, tropical, and boreal forests, wetlands, deserts, 
     grasslands, arctic tundras, and remote islands, and spans 12 
     time zones from the Virgin Islands to Guam;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 
     species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of 
     reptiles and amphibians, and more than 1,000 species of fish;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 
     lands that foster production, migration, and wintering 
     habitat for waterfowl;
       Whereas since 1934, more than $750,000,000 in funds, from 
     the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, 
     has enabled the purchase or lease of more than 5,300,000 
     acres of waterfowl habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System;
       Whereas 59 refuges were established specifically to protect 
     imperiled species, and of the more than 1,300 federally 
     listed threatened and endangered species in the United 
     States, 280 species are found on units of the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 
     for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of the 
     Federal Government and State governments, private landowners, 
     and organizations in their efforts to secure the wildlife 
     heritage of the United States;
       Whereas 39,000 volunteers and more than 220 national 
     wildlife refuge ``Friends'' organizations contribute nearly 
     1,400,000 hours annually, the equivalent of 665 full-time 
     employees, and provide an important link with local 
     communities;
       Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important 
     opportunity for children to discover and gain a greater 
     appreciation for the natural world;
       Whereas because there are national wildlife refuges located 
     in several urban and suburban areas and 1 refuge located 
     within an hour's drive of every metropolitan area in the 
     United States, national wildlife refuges employ, educate, and 
     engage young people from all backgrounds in exploring, 
     connecting with, and preserving the natural heritage of the 
     Nation;
       Whereas since 1995, refuges across the Nation have held 
     festivals, educational programs, guided tours, and other 
     events to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week during the 
     second full week of October;
       Whereas the Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to seek 
     stakeholder input on the implementation of the 
     recommendations in the document entitled ``Conserving the 
     Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation'', which is 
     an update to the strategic plan of the Fish and Wildlife 
     Service for the future of the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System;
       Whereas the week beginning on October 9, 2011, has been 
     designated as ``National Wildlife Refuge Week'' by the Fish 
     and Wildlife Service;
       Whereas in 2011, the designation of National Wildlife 
     Refuge Week would recognize more than a century of 
     conservation in the United States and would serve to raise 
     awareness about the importance of wildlife and the National 
     Wildlife Refuge System and to celebrate the myriad 
     recreational opportunities available to enjoy this network of 
     protected lands: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning on October 9, 2011, as 
     ``National Wildlife Refuge Week'';
       (2) encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge 
     Week with appropriate events and activities;
       (3) acknowledges the importance of national wildlife 
     refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution 
     to local economies across the United States;
       (4) pronounces that national wildlife refuges play a vital 
     role in securing the hunting and fishing heritage of the 
     United States for future generations;
       (5) identifies the significance of national wildlife 
     refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife observation, 
     photography, environmental education, and interpretation;
       (6) recognizes the importance of national wildlife refuges 
     to wildlife conservation and the protection of imperiled 
     species and ecosystems, as well as compatible uses;
       (7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife refuges in 
     conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habitat pursuant to the 
     Migratory Bird Treaty Act (40 Stat. 755, chapter 128);
       (8) reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife 
     conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System; and
       (9) expresses the intent of the Senate--
       (A) to continue working to conserve wildlife; and
       (B) to manage the National Wildlife Refuge System for 
     current and future generations.

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