79–006

106TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106–716

SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REGARDING

ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL OCEAN DAY

JULY 10, 2000.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, from the Committee on Resources,

submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. Res. 415]

The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the resolution (H. Res. 415) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Ocean Day to recognize the significant role the ocean plays in the lives of the Nation’s people and the important role the Nation’s people must play

in the continued life of the ocean, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that

the resolution as amended be agreed to.

The amendment is as follows:

Amend the preamble to read as follows:

Whereas the oceans cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and are key to the life

support systems for all creatures on this planet;

Whereas the oceans contain a wondrous abundance and diversity of life, from the

smallest microorganism to the mammoth blue whale;

Whereas 2⁄3 of the world’s people live within 50 miles of a coast and 1 out of 6 American jobs are in fishing, shipping, or tourism;

Whereas the oceans provide almost limitless opportunities for exploration and discovery, and could supply a key source of life-saving medicines and treatments;

Whereas oceanography has contributed to an understanding of global climate

change and the effects of the ocean on climate and weather, which inevitably

has an impact on safety and quality of life;

Whereas efforts are underway to develop a new ocean monitoring system that will

give us a better understanding of the critical relationship between oceans and

global climate change;

Whereas a deepened understanding of the seas will enable us to track marine mammals, predict deadly storms such as those associated with El Nin ̃

o, detect illegal

fishing, and gain new insights into the complexities of climate change;

Whereas the oceans and coastal areas supply vital sources of food upon which people depend and that could be deteriorated by poor stewardship;

Whereas decades of pollution from industrial waste, sewage, and toxic runoff have

taken their toll on the health of the oceans and on the marine life in them;

Whereas recent studies suggest that nearly 60 percent of the world’s coral reefs, the

‘‘rainforests of the sea’’, are being degraded or destroyed by human activities

and ten percent of the reefs may already be degraded beyond recovery;

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Whereas fisheries and the food and products they produce are essential to the

world’s economy and steps should be taken to ensure that they do not become

overexploited;

Whereas in the 21st century, people will look increasingly to the oceans to meet

their everyday needs;

Whereas the oceans’ resources are limited, and nations must work together to conserve them;

Whereas the oceans are the core of our own humanity, a treasure shared by all nations of the world, and our stewardship of this resource is our responsibility to

our children, grandchildren, and all of Earth’s inhabitants;

Whereas June 8th was declared Oceans Day at the Earth Summit Conference in Rio

de Janeiro in 1992 and similar declarations have been made by individual nations;

Whereas the State of Hawaii has designated the first Wednesday of June as Ocean

Day, in recognition of the very significant role the ocean plays in the lives of

Hawaii’s people, as well as Hawaii’s culture, history, and traditions; and

Whereas the establishment of a National Ocean Day will raise awareness of the

vital role oceans play in human life and that human beings must play in the

life of the ocean: Now, therefore, be it

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H. Res. 415 is to express the sense of the House

of Representatives that there should be established a National

Ocean Day to recognize the significant role the ocean plays in the

lives of the Nation’s people and the important role the Nation’s

people must play in the continued life of the ocean.

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The oceans play an increasingly important role in the lives of our

Nation’s people. Currently, more than fifty percent of the Nation’s

population live in the coastal areas of the U.S. and one out of six

American jobs is in fishing, shipping or tourism. As the population

grows, there will be greater demands on the oceans and coastal resources.

The oceans cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, yet much still

needs to be learned about the oceans and the living marine resources contained within them. Anthropogenic and natural changes

are taking place with regard to the oceans’ physical properties

(such as sea level rise and rises in temperature), and resource depletion, coral reef habitat degradation and harmful algal blooms

are also issues which require attention. The National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration and ocean research institutions are

working to expand our knowledge of the oceans and their resources

to improve resource management and protect public health and

safety. More needs to be done, however, to increase our understanding of the health of the ocean and the public’s awareness of

the role of the ocean in their lives.

Internationally, there has been recognition of the importance of

the ocean. After the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, June

8th was declared Oceans Day and 1998 was declared the International Year of the Ocean. In addition, other nations have individually given formal recognition to ocean-related events in similar

ways. For example, Canada has been active for many years in celebrating International Oceans Day and the Philippines has proclaimed May as the Month of the Ocean. In the United States, the

State of Hawaii has designated the first Wednesday of June as

Ocean Day. Declarations such as these are intended to draw the

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public’s attention to the importance of our relationship to the ocean

and, more significantly, to the need for responsible stewardship.

COMMITTEE ACTION

H. Res. 415 was introduced on February 2, 2000, by Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink (D–HI). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans. On

June 8, 2000, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On

June 20, 2000, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the

bill. The Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and

Oceans was discharged from further consideration of the bill by

unanimous consent. Congressman Jim Saxton (R–NJ) offered an

amendment to clarify and update the supporting facts of the resolution contained in the preamble. It was adopted by voice vote. The

bill as amended was then approved and ordered favorably reported

to the House of Representatives.

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in

the body of this report.

CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United States

grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII

1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of

the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides

that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) of rule

XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section

308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this bill does not

contain any new budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures.

3. Government Reform Oversight Findings. Under clause 3(c)(4)

of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee has received no report of oversight findings and recommendations from the Committee on Government Reform on this

bill.

4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause

3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and

section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for this bill from the

Director of the Congressional Budget Office:

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U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, June 28, 2000.

Hon. DON YOUNG,

Chairman, Committee on Resources,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN. The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H. Res. 415, expressing the

sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Ocean Day to recognize the significant role the

ocean plays in the lives of the nation’s people and the important

role the nation’s people must play in the continued life of the

ocean.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Ali Aslam.

Sincerely,

BARRY B. ANDERSON

(For Dan L. Crippen, Director).

Enclosure.

H. Res. 415—Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives

that there should be established a National Ocean Day to recognize the significant role the ocean plays in the lives of the nation’s people and the important role the nation’s people must

play in the continued life of the ocean

H. Res. 415 would express the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Ocean Day to recognize the significant role the ocean plays in American lives. CBO

estimates that H. Res. 415 would have no impact on the federal

budget. The legislation would not affect direct spending or receipts;

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.

The staff contact is Ali Aslam. This estimate was approved by

Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4

This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local, or tribal

law.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

If enacted, this bill would make no changes in existing law.

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