[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Environment 
and Public Works Committee be discharged from further consideration of 
S. Res. 132 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 132) recognizing and honoring the 
     zoos and aquariums of the United States.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements relating to the matter be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 132) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 132

       Whereas the 223 zoos and aquariums accredited by the 
     Association of Zoos and Aquariums support more than 142,000 
     jobs nationwide, making such zoos and aquariums a valuable 
     part of local and national economies;
       Whereas according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
     accredited zoos and aquariums generate more than 
     $15,000,000,000 in economic activity in the United States 
     annually;
       Whereas according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
     accredited zoos and aquariums attract more than 165,000,000 
     visitors each year and are a valuable part of regional, 
     State, and local tourist economies;
       Whereas according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
     accredited zoos and aquariums have formally trained more than 
     400,000 teachers, and such zoos and aquariums support science 
     curricula with effective teaching materials and hands-on 
     opportunities and host more than 12,000,000 students annually 
     on school field trips;
       Whereas according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
     accredited zoos and aquariums provide a unique opportunity 
     for the public to engage in conservation and education 
     efforts, and more than 60,000 people invest more than 
     3,000,000 hours per year as volunteers at such zoos and 
     aquariums;
       Whereas public investment in accredited zoos and aquariums 
     has dual benefits, including immediate job creation and 
     environmental education for children in the United States;
       Whereas accredited zoos and aquariums focus on connecting 
     people and animals, and such zoos and aquariums provide a 
     critical link to helping animals in their native habitats;
       Whereas according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 
     accredited zoos and aquariums have provided more than 
     $90,000,000 per year over the past 5 years to support more 
     than 4,000 field conservation and research projects in more 
     than 100 countries; and
       Whereas many Federal agencies have recognized accredited 
     zoos and aquariums as critical partners in rescue, 
     rehabilitation, confiscation, and reintroduction efforts for 
     distressed, threatened, and endangered species: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes and honors the zoos and aquariums of the 
     United States;
       (2) commends the employees and volunteers at each zoo and 
     aquarium for their hard work and dedication;
       (3) recommends that people in the United States visit their 
     local accredited zoo and aquarium and take advantage of the 
     educational opportunities that such zoos and aquariums offer; 
     and
       (4) urges continued support for accredited zoos and 
     aquariums and the important conservation, education, and 
     recreation programs of such zoos and aquariums.

                          ____________________