IV 

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. GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N) 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 monuVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:01 Oct 08, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1538.IH HR1538

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ments, 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; 


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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 


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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; 


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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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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1 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Wild2 life Refuge Week’’; 

3 (2) encourages the observance of National Wild4 life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi5 ties; 

6 (3) recognizes the importance of national wild7 life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 

8 imperiled species and ecosystems, and wildlife-de9 pendent recreational uses; 

10 (4) acknowledges the importance of national 

11 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 

12 and contribution to local economies across the 

13 United States; 

14 (5) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 

15 vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit16 age of the United States for future generations; 

17 (6) identifies the significance of national wild18 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob19 servation, photography, environmental education, 

20 and interpretation; 

21 (7) recognizes the important work of urban na22 tional wildlife refuges in welcoming racially, eth23 nically, and economically diverse urban communities 

24 that were long excluded, including work to— 


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1 (A) foster strong new conservation coali2 tions; 

3 (B) provide education and employment op4 portunities to youth; 

5 (C) improve communities; 

6 (D) build trust in government; and 

7 (E) connect individuals with nature; 

8 (8) recognizes the National Wildlife Refuge 

9 System’s ongoing commitment to engagement, rela10 tionships, knowledge-sharing, and costewardship of 

11 the National Wildlife Refuge System lands and 

12 waters with Tribes, Alaska Native corporations, 

13 Alaska Native organizations, and the Native Hawai14 ian community; 

15 (9) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

16 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi17 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

18 703 et seq.); 

19 (10) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep20 resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na21 tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 

22 (11) expresses the intent of the House of Rep23 resentatives— 

24 (A) to continue working to conserve wild25 life; and 


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1 (B) to support the United States Fish and 

2 Wildlife Service’s management of the National 

3 Wildlife Refuge System for the benefit of cur4 rent and future generations. 

Æ 


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