IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1496 

Supporting the designation of October 23, 2024, as ‘‘National Marine 

Sanctuary Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 

Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself and Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of October 23, 2024, as 

‘‘National Marine Sanctuary Day’’. 

Whereas, on October 23, 1972, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1401 et 

seq.) became law and ushered in a new era of ocean conservation; 

Whereas the National Marine Sanctuary System is a nationwide network that conserves spectacular ocean, coasts, 

and Great Lakes waters; 

Whereas communities across the United States can nominate 

their most treasured places in marine and Great Lakes 

waters for consideration as national marine sanctuaries; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries protect biodiversity and 

vital habitats for countless species of fish and wildlife, 


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•HRES 1496 IH 

safeguard extraordinary seascapes, historic shipwrecks, 

and sacred cultural places, and provide abundant recreational opportunities; 

Whereas the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 

1431 et seq.) aims to coordinate plans for the protection 

and management of the National Marine Sanctuary System in coordination with Federal agencies, State and 

local governments, and Native American tribes and organizations concerned with continuing the health and resilience of these marine areas; 

Whereas the conservation of marine ecosystems is vital for a 

healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes, addressing climate change, and sustaining productive coastal economies; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries increase access to nature and support coastal communities, and generate billions of dollars annually in local communities by providing jobs in the United States, supporting commercial, 

Tribal, and recreational fisheries, bolstering tourism and 

recreation, engaging businesses in stewardship, and driving the growth of the blue economy; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries connect people and 

communities through science, education, recreation, and 

stewardship that inspire community-based solutions that 

help individuals understand and protect the Nation’s 

most spectacular underwater habitats, wildlife, archaeological resources, and cultural seascapes of the United 

States; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries are living laboratories 

to conduct cooperative science and research to improve 


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•HRES 1496 IH 

resource management and advance innovative public-private partnerships; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries can help make the 

ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes more resilient by protecting ecosystems that sequester carbon, safeguarding 

coastal communities from flooding and storms, and protecting biodiversity; 

Whereas the United States of America is a maritime Nation, 

and the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes are central to the 

way of life of the people of the United States; 

Whereas engaging communities as stewards of these protected waters makes national marine sanctuaries unique 

and provides a comprehensive, highly participatory approach to managing and conserving marine and Great 

Lakes environments for current and future generations; 

and 

Whereas October 23, 2024, is recognized as ‘‘National Marine Sanctuary Day’’ to increase awareness about the importance of the National Marine Sanctuary System and 

a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes and celebrate 

the many recreational opportunities available for the enjoyment of this network of protected waters: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Ma3 rine Sanctuary Day’’; 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 and the world to responsibly visit, experience, recre6 ate in, and support the treasured national marine 

7 sanctuaries of the United States; 


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•HRES 1496 IH 

1 (3) acknowledges the importance of national 

2 marine sanctuaries to supporting community resil3 ience, protecting biodiversity, and increasing access 

4 to nature; 

5 (4) recognizes the importance of national ma6 rine sanctuaries for their recreational opportunities 

7 and contributions to local and national economies 

8 across the United States; 

9 (5) celebrates the ability of the National Marine 

10 Sanctuary System to protect nationally significant 

11 places in the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes; 

12 (6) calls on the National Oceanic and Atmos13 pheric Administration to partner with communities 

14 and find consensus to complete designations of new 

15 national marine sanctuaries; and 

16 (7) encourages Federal agencies to balance pri17 orities and work together to support the priorities of 

18 the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries 

19 Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). 

Æ 


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