III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 305 

Designating the week of September 14 through September 21, 2019, as 

‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2019 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. MERKLEY, 

Ms. HASSAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. 

REED, Mr. CARPER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. KING, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. COONS, Mr. WARNER, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

WYDEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of September 14 through September 

21, 2019, as ‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

Whereas estuary regions cover only 13 percent of the land 

area in the continental United States but contain nearly 

43 percent of the population, 40 percent of the jobs, and 

nearly 50 percent of the economic output of the United 

States; 

Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries 

support over 1,700,000 jobs in the United States; 

Whereas in 2016— 


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•SRES 305 ATS 

(1) commercial and recreational saltwater fishing in 

the United States generated more than 

$212,000,000,000 in sales and contributed 

$100,000,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the 

United States; 

(2) 9,800,000 saltwater anglers took recreational 

fishing trips; and 

(3) saltwater recreational fishing supported 472,000 

jobs, generated $68,000,000,000 in sales impacts across 

the economy, and contributed $39,000,000,000 to the 

gross domestic product of the United States; 

Whereas estuaries provide vital habitats for— 

(1) countless species of fish and wildlife, including 

more than 68 percent of the commercial fish catch in the 

United States by value and 80 percent of the recreational 

fish catch in the United States by weight; and 

(2) many species that are listed as threatened or endangered species; 

Whereas estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that 

protect human health and public safety, including water 

filtration, flood control, shoreline stabilization, erosion 

prevention, and the protection of coastal communities 

during hurricanes, storms, and other extreme weather 

events; 

Whereas, by the 1980s, the United States had already lost 

more than 50 percent of the wetlands that existed in the 

original 13 colonies; 

Whereas the ecosystem functions of some coastal wetlands in 

the United States have become severely impaired by excess nutrients, chemical wastes, marine debris, invasive 

species, coastal subsidence and sea level changes, or upstream water and sediment management practices; 


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Whereas harmful algal blooms are hurting fish, wildlife, and 

human health, and are causing serious ecological and economic harm to some estuaries; 

Whereas section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control 

Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) (commonly known as the ‘‘Clean 

Water Act’’) authorizes the development of comprehensive conservation and management plans to ensure that 

the designated uses of estuaries are protected and to restore and maintain the— 

(1) chemical, physical, and biological integrity of estuaries; 

(2) water quality; 

(3) a balanced indigenous population of shellfish, 

fish, and wildlife; and 

(4) recreational activities in estuaries; 

Whereas the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 

U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) provides that the policy of the 

United States is to preserve, protect, develop, and, if possible, restore or enhance the resources of the coastal zone 

of the United States, including estuaries, for current and 

future generations; 

Whereas 27 coastal and Great Lakes States and territories 

of the United States operate or contain a National Estuary Program or a National Estuarine Research Reserve; 

Whereas scientific study leads to a better understanding of 

the benefits of estuaries to human and ecological communities; 

Whereas the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal 

governments, national and community organizations, and 

individuals work together to effectively manage the estuaries of the United States; 


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Whereas estuary restoration efforts restore natural infrastructure in local communities in a cost-effective manner, 

helping to create jobs and reestablish the natural functions of estuaries that yield countless benefits; and 

Whereas the week of September 14 through September 21, 

2019, is recognized as ‘‘National Estuaries Week’’ to increase awareness among all people of the United States, 

including Federal Government and State, local, and Tribal government officials, about the importance of healthy 

estuaries and the need to protect and restore estuaries: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of September 14 

3 through September 21, 2019, as ‘‘National Estu4 aries Week’’; 

5 (2) supports the goals and ideals of National 

6 Estuaries Week; 

7 (3) acknowledges the importance of estuaries to 

8 sustaining employment in the United States and the 

9 economic well-being and prosperity of the United 

10 States; 

11 (4) recognizes that human activities can have 

12 significant positive and negative impacts on the 

13 quality and productivity of estuary resources; 

14 (5) applauds the work of national and commu15 nity organizations and public partners that promote 

16 public awareness, understanding, protection, and 

17 restoration of estuaries; 


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•SRES 305 ATS 

1 (6) supports the scientific study, preservation, 

2 protection, and restoration of estuaries; and 

3 (7) expresses the intent of the Senate to con4 tinue working to understand, protect, and restore 

5 the estuaries of the United States. 

Æ 


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