III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 362 

Designating the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as ‘‘National Wildlife 

Refuge Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 17, 2019 

Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. KENNEDY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

OCTOBER 24, 2019 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as 

‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’. 

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas, in 2019, the National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of land and water to conserve 

wildlife in the world and has grown to 567 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts located 

in every State and territory of the United States; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 

and tourism destinations in communities across the 


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SRES 362 ATS 

United States and offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including 6 wildlife-dependent uses that the National Wildlife Refuge System manages, specifically hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 

than 50,000,000 visitors annually, which generates more 

than $3,200,000,000 in sales and more than 41,000 jobs 

in local economies; 

Whereas 382 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs that receive more than 2,000,000 

hunting visits annually, and 316 units of the National 

Wildlife Refuge System have fishing programs that receive more than 7,000,000 fishing visits annually; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System has hosted 

more than 30,000,000 wildlife observation visits in recent 

years; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local businesses and gateway communities; 

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 United States Virgin Islands to 

Guam; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are home to more than— 

(1) 700 species of birds; 

(2) 220 species of mammals; 

(3) 250 species of reptiles and amphibians; and 

(4) 1,000 species of fish; 


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Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

land on which the production, migration, and wintering 

habitats for waterfowl are fostered; 

Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, 

which has been largely funded from the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, has generated 

more than $1,500,000,000 and enabled the conservation 

of more than 5,900,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl 

and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more 

than 380 threatened and endangered species; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 

for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of 

the Federal Government, State governments, private 

landowners, and organizations in efforts to secure the 

wildlife heritage of the United States; 

Whereas more than 38,000 volunteers and almost 200 national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute 

approximately 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, the 

equivalent of 650 full-time employees, and provide an important link to local communities; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important opportunity for children to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the natural world; 

Whereas there are national wildlife refuges located in several 

urban and suburban areas and there is a national wildlife 

refuge located within a 1-hour drive of nearly every metropolitan area in the United States, which has enabled 

national wildlife refuges to employ, educate, and engage 

young people from all backgrounds in exploring, conVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:16 Oct 24, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR362.ATS SR362

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necting with, and preserving the natural heritage of the 

United States; 

Whereas, since 1995, national wildlife refuges across the 

United States 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 United States Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’; and 

Whereas the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by 

the Senate would recognize more than a century of conservation in the United States, raise awareness about the 

importance of wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge 

System, and celebrate the myriad recreational opportunities available for the enjoyment of the protected land and 

water within that system: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week beginning on October 

3 13, 2019, as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’; 

4 (2) encourages the observance of National Wild5 life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi6 ties; 

7 (3) acknowledges the importance of national 

8 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 

9 and contribution to local economies across the 

10 United States; 


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1 (4) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 

2 vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit3 age of the United States for future generations; 

4 (5) identifies the significance of national wild5 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob6 servation, photography, environmental education, 

7 and interpretation; 

8 (6) recognizes the importance of national wild9 life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 

10 imperiled species and ecosystems, and compatible 

11 uses; 

12 (7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

13 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi14 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

15 703 et seq.); 

16 (8) reaffirms the support of the Senate for 

17 wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Ref18 uge System; and 

19 (9) expresses the intent of the Senate— 

20 (A) to continue working to conserve wild21 life; and 

22 (B) to manage the National Wildlife Ref23 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


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