[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 175 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6672-S6673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 830--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE 
     WEEK OF OCTOBER 24, 2022, TO OCTOBER 31, 2022, AS ``BAT WEEK''

  Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. Markey) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works:

                              S. Res. 830

       Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural 
     ecosystems, national economies, and human health by 
     controlling damaging insect pests, pollinating plants that 
     produce fruits and vegetables, dispersing seeds to ensure 
     healthy functioning forests and fields, and saving farmers in 
     the United States more than $3,000,000,000 in pest control 
     every year;
       Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through 
     backyard sightings, folklore, art, myths, and legends, making 
     outreach and education about the importance of bats 
     instrumental;
       Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in 
     extremely cold regions, and are the second-largest order of 
     mammals with over 1,400 species;
       Whereas white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has 
     killed millions of bats in North America, has now spread to 
     38 States and 12 species of hibernating bats;
       Whereas the disease has caused significant declines in 
     populations of the tricolored bat, the little brown bat, and 
     the northern long-eared bat, which are listed as threatened 
     under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
     seq.);
       Whereas the Department of the Interior, through the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological 
     Survey, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management 
     is leading the international response to the disease in 
     partnership with the United States Forest Service and more 
     than 150 Federal and State agencies, Tribes, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and universities;
       Whereas the United States Geological Survey and the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service co-lead the multinational, 
     multiagency North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) 
     which since 2015 has consolidated nearly 68,000,000 records 
     from partners in 49 States, 8 Canadian provinces, and 10 
     Tribal organizations, demonstrating the power of 
     collaborative conservation science to monitor changes in 
     North American bat populations;
       Whereas the United States Geological Survey conducts 
     scientific research on bats, which helps resource managers 
     and policymakers make informed decisions regarding the 
     conservation of bats across North America; and
       Whereas, in the past decade, the international partnership 
     of States, Tribes, Federal agencies, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and institutions has made extraordinary 
     progress to understand white-nose syndrome, slow the spread, 
     and develop treatments that hold promise for ending this 
     epidemic: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses support for the designation of ``Bat Week'';
       (2) encourages the observance of Bat Week with appropriate 
     events and activities;
       (3) acknowledges the important role bats play as 
     pollinators and pest control for agriculture; and

[[Page S6673]]

       (4) intends to--
       (A) continue working to conserve bat species and habitat; 
     and
       (B) work to defeat the disease known as white-nose 
     syndrome.

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