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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1538 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1538

Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on October 
            13, 2024, as ``National Wildlife Refuge Week''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 2024

Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Vasquez, Ms. 
 Stansbury, Ms. Mace, and Mrs. Gonzalez-Colon) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on October 
            13, 2024, as ``National Wildlife Refuge Week''.

Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service administers the National 
        Wildlife Refuge System to conserve, manage, and, where appropriate, 
        restore fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within 
        the United States for the benefit of current and future generations;
Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national 
        wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in Florida;
Whereas, in 2024, the National Wildlife Refuge System has grown to include 572 
        national wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts, and 5 marine 
        national monuments, with units located in every State and territory of 
        the United States;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses more than 850,000,000 
        acres of unique habitats and ecosystems, including tropical and boreal 
        forests, wetlands, deserts, grasslands, arctic tundra, remote islands, 
        and marine areas, and spans the 12 time zones of the United States, from 
        the United States Virgin Islands to Guam;
Whereas national wildlife refuges support nearly 800 species of birds, 220 
        species of mammals, 250 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 1,100 
        species of fish;
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more than 380 threatened 
        and endangered species;
Whereas more than 65 national wildlife refuges were established to conserve 
        federally threatened or endangered species such as the American 
        crocodile, California condor, Devil's Hole pupfish, and Antioch Dunes 
        evening-primrose;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal lands that support 
        waterfowl habitat;
Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund has generated more 
        than $2,000,000,000 and enabled the conservation of more than 6,300,000 
        acres of habitat for waterfowl and numerous other species in the 
        National Wildlife Refuge System;
Whereas more than 180 national wildlife refuges conserve marine, coastal, and 
        Great Lakes habitats, helping to protect communities by reducing the 
        risk of storm-surge flooding, especially in low-lying floodplain and 
        coastal areas;
Whereas meaningful engagement and proactive collaboration with Tribes, Alaska 
        Native Corporations, Alaska Native organizations, and the Native 
        Hawaiian community is an integral aspect of the costewardship of shared 
        natural resources, including National Wildlife Refuge System lands and 
        waters;
Whereas important cultural and historic resources are protected on national 
        wildlife refuges, such as--

    (1) archaeological sites detailing the lives of Native Americans and 
early colonists at Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 
Virginia;

    (2) World War II sites in the Pacific, from Attu in Alaska to Midway 
Atoll in the Hawaiian Islands; and

    (3) the remains of the home of Harriet Tubman's father at Blackwater 
National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland;

Whereas Tribal consultation is a cornerstone of historic preservation on 
        national wildlife refuges where cultural resources and traditional 
        sacred spaces are important to Native American Tribes, such as 
        Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, where the Nuwuvi people 
        finalized a plan with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to 
        respect and showcase ancient petroglyphs;
Whereas national wildlife refuges use a range of management tools, including 
        fire management, invasive species control, water management, wildlife 
        health assessments, inventory and monitoring species, facility condition 
        assessments, five-year infrastructure project plans, and other tools to 
        conserve habitat and ensure opportunities for public access and 
        recreation;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational and tourism 
        destinations in communities across the United States and offer a variety 
        of recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife 
        observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more than 68,000,000 annual 
        visits, which generate more than $3,200,000,000 for local economies and 
        support 41,000 jobs;
Whereas 436 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have hunting programs 
        and 378 units have fishing programs that, respectively, support more 
        than 2,600,000 hunting visits and more than 8,600,000 fishing visits 
        annually;
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System hosts nearly 42,000,000 annual 
        birding and wildlife observation visits;
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local businesses and gateway 
        communities;
Whereas, for every dollar appropriated to the National Wildlife Refuge System, 
        an average of approximately $5 is returned to local economies;
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important opportunity for children 
        to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the natural world;
Whereas more than 23,000 volunteers contributed approximately 900,000 volunteer 
        hours in fiscal year 2023, equal to the number of hours worked by 550 
        full-time employees;
Whereas, approximately 180 national wildlife refuge ``Friends'' organizations 
        provide additional volunteer labor and serve as an important link 
        between national wildlife refuges and local communities;
Whereas 101 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System are within 25 miles of 
        population centers of 250,000 people or more;
Whereas, through the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, the United States Fish 
        and Wildlife Service works to dismantle barriers that have blocked 
        underserved communities from full and equal participation in outdoor 
        recreation and wildlife conservation;
Whereas the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program fosters strong new conservation 
        coalitions, educates and employs youth, engages communities, builds 
        trust in government, and connects individuals with nature;
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide opportunities for people from all 
        backgrounds to explore, connect with, and preserve the natural heritage 
        of the United States;
Whereas, since 1995, natural 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, 2024, as National Wildlife Refuge Week; and
Whereas the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by the House of 
        Representatives 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 this network 
        of protected lands: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Wildlife Refuge 
        Week'';
            (2) encourages the observance of National Wildlife Refuge 
        Week with appropriate events and activities;
            (3) recognizes the importance of national wildlife refuges 
        to wildlife conservation, the protection of imperiled species 
        and ecosystems, and wildlife-dependent recreational uses;
            (4) acknowledges the importance of national wildlife 
        refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution 
        to local economies across the United States;
            (5) finds that national wildlife refuges play a vital role 
        in securing the hunting and fishing heritage of the United 
        States for future generations;
            (6) identifies the significance of national wildlife 
        refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife observation, 
        photography, environmental education, and interpretation;
            (7) recognizes the important work of urban national 
        wildlife refuges in welcoming racially, ethnically, and 
        economically diverse urban communities that were long excluded, 
        including work to--
                    (A) foster strong new conservation coalitions;
                    (B) provide education and employment opportunities 
                to youth;
                    (C) improve communities;
                    (D) build trust in government; and
                    (E) connect individuals with nature;
            (8) recognizes the National Wildlife Refuge System's 
        ongoing commitment to engagement, relationships, knowledge-
        sharing, and costewardship of the National Wildlife Refuge 
        System lands and waters with Tribes, Alaska Native 
        corporations, Alaska Native organizations, and the Native 
        Hawaiian community;
            (9) acknowledges the role of national wildlife refuges in 
        conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habitat under the Migratory 
        Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.);
            (10) reaffirms the support of the House of Representatives 
        for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge 
        System; and
            (11) expresses the intent of the House of Representatives--
                    (A) to continue working to conserve wildlife; and
                    (B) to support the United States Fish and Wildlife 
                Service's management of the National Wildlife Refuge 
                System for the benefit of current and future 
                generations.
                                 <all>
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