[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 33 (Thursday, March 7, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S1272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 70--DESIGNATING THE LAST FULL WEEK OF JULY 2013 AS 
  ``NATIONAL MOTH WEEK'', RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF MOTHS IN THE 
  UNITED STATES, AND RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF NATIONAL MOTH WEEK FOR 
   PROMOTING THE CONSERVATION OF MOTHS AND INCREASING THE AWARENESS, 
 STUDY, AND APPRECIATION OF MOTHS, THEIR INCREDIBLE BIODIVERSITY, AND 
                  THEIR IMPORTANCE TO ECOSYSTEM HEALTH

  Mr. MENENDEZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 70

       Whereas moths are an incredibly diverse type of insect, 
     with more than 12,000 species in the continental United 
     States and Canada;
       Whereas moths live everywhere and in every habitat, from 
     inner cities to the most remote and wild places;
       Whereas moths are important pollinators and are an 
     essential part of the food web, providing food for a vast 
     number of birds, bats, and other animals;
       Whereas moths are indicators of a healthy environment, as 
     habitats rich in moths are diverse in other insects and 
     wildlife;
       Whereas monitoring the diversity and distribution of moths 
     can provide vital clues to changes in the environment;
       Whereas knowledge about many moths and moth caterpillars is 
     limited;
       Whereas scientists believe that many moth species may be 
     declining;
       Whereas the lack of natural history information about many 
     moth species provides an opportunity for an individual to 
     potentially make a meaningful scientific contribution 
     relating to moths;
       Whereas National Moth Week, which was established in 2011 
     in East Brunswick, New Jersey by the Friends of the East 
     Brunswick Environmental Commission, is a national and global 
     collaboration of many individuals, environmental groups, and 
     conservation organizations focusing much-needed attention on 
     moths and their ecological, educational, and cultural 
     significance;
       Whereas participants National Moth Week events collect 
     valuable information about moths and make that information 
     available to naturalists, ecologists, and conservation 
     scientists;
       Whereas National Moth Week is intended to encourage 
     everyone, especially citizen scientists, to help increase 
     knowledge about moths through observation and study;
       Whereas National Moth Week was celebrated from July 23 
     through July 29, 2012, in more than 300 participating 
     locations in 49 States, Puerto Rico, the District of 
     Columbia, and 28 countries;
       Whereas National Moth Week is celebrated each summer during 
     the last full week in July; and
       Whereas the National Moth Week web site, 
     www.nationalmothweek.org, is filled with information and 
     resources relating to moths: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the last full week of July 2013 as 
     ``National Moth Week'';
       (2) recognizes the importance of moths in the United States 
     and the value of National Moth Week for promoting the 
     conservation of moths and increasing the awareness, study, 
     and appreciation of moths, their incredible biodiversity, and 
     their importance to ecosystem health;
       (3) applauds National Moth Week and the efforts of 
     participants to increase awareness about the important role 
     of moths and build support for increasing the study, 
     appreciation, and conservation of moths; and
       (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Moth Week with appropriate activities.

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