[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 177 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5216-S5217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 433--COMMEMORATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
        ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MISSISQUOI NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

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

                              S. Res. 433

       Whereas the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge (referred 
     to in this preamble as the ``Refuge'') was established in 
     1943 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.) for the protection and management 
     of migratory birds;
       Whereas the Refuge is located on land sacred to the tribes 
     of the Western Abenaki;
       Whereas the Refuge encompasses 6,729 acres of protected 
     land in Franklin County, Vermont;
       Whereas more than half of this acreage is protected as an 
     inviolate sanctuary, preserving pristine habitats for 
     wildlife and native plant species to thrive;
       Whereas the Refuge is part of the Atlantic Flyway system of 
     National Wildlife Refuges connecting the northern breeding 
     grounds and southern wintering areas of migratory birds;
       Whereas the Refuge was designated as a RAMSAR Wetland of 
     International Importance in 2013, 1 of just 41 national 
     wildlife refuges in the United States so designated;
       Whereas the Refuge is recognized as an Important Bird Area 
     by the National Audubon Society;
       Whereas habitats found in the Refuge include floodplain 
     forests, wetlands, shrublands, bogs, grasslands, and upland 
     areas;
       Whereas the natural environment of the Refuge is essential 
     to the ecosystems of Lake Champlain, supporting wildlife and 
     preserving clean water resources;
       Whereas these ecosystems mitigate climate change by 
     sequestering carbon and strengthening the resilience of 
     neighboring communities;
       Whereas the 900-acre Maquam bog located in the Refuge is 
     designated as a Research Natural Area and is the only pitch 
     pine woodland bog in New England;
       Whereas the Refuge is home to vital feeding, resting, and 
     breeding habitats for birds, which have supported more than 
     200 bird species;
       Whereas the Refuge is home to the largest concentration of 
     waterfowl in the Champlain Valley and hosts more than 20,000 
     ducks during their fall migration, including wood ducks, 
     mallards, green-winged teal, and ring-neck ducks;
       Whereas the grassland habitats of the Refuge are home to 
     bobolink, meadowlark, and savannah sparrows;
       Whereas the wetland habitats of the Refuge are populated by 
     reptiles, fish, and amphibians;
       Whereas pollinators thrive in the shrublands and grasslands 
     of the Refuge, including 13 species of bumblebees;
       Whereas other species that call the Refuge home include 
     raccoons, black bears, coyotes, skunks, beavers, red foxes, 
     river otters, bobcats, porcupines, muskrats, and minks;
       Whereas many of these animals are protected by the State of 
     Vermont as threatened or endangered, such as the black tern 
     and eastern sand darter;
       Whereas more than 80,000 visitors travel to the Refuge 
     annually to partake in hiking, birding, fishing, boating, and 
     hunting;
       Whereas visitors to the Refuge travel from all 50 states 
     and multiple foreign countries to appreciate the beauty and 
     biodiversity of the Refuge;
       Whereas the Refuge provides a valuable educational and 
     interpretive resource for visitors and neighboring 
     communities;
       Whereas the experience in nature while visiting the Refuge 
     fosters a spiritual connection between people and the land 
     they inhabit;
       Whereas the Refuge and the natural environment of Vermont 
     support a vibrant outdoor recreation industry that has 
     contributed billions of dollars to the State's economy;
       Whereas archaeologists have documented a cultural heritage 
     in the Refuge dating back more than 5,000 years; and
       Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
     Abenaki community

[[Page S5217]]

     work in partnership to protect and maintain these cultural 
     sites, preserving them for generations to come: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates the 80th anniversary of the establishment 
     of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge;
       (2) recognizes the importance of this protected land to 
     biodiversity and fragile ecosystems in Vermont and the world; 
     and
       (3) resolves to support the National Wildlife Refuge 
     System, including the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, by 
     providing the necessary financial and staffing resources to 
     carry out its mission of conserving wildlife, protecting 
     habitats, and providing access to outdoor recreational 
     opportunities.

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