III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 230 

Designating the week of September 16 through September 23, 2017, as 

‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 24, 2017 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. REED, Ms. 

HIRONO, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. CARPER, Ms. WARREN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. CARDIN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. NELSON, Mr. COONS, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. 

BALDWIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. KING, Mr. BROWN, Ms. 

CANTWELL, Mr. WARNER, Mr. COCHRAN, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. MENENDEZ, 

and Mr. PORTMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

AUGUST 3, 2017 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of September 16 through September 

23, 2017, as ‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

Whereas the estuary regions of the United States constitute 

a significant share of the economy of the United States, 

with as much as 43 percent of the gross domestic product 

of the United States generated in shore adjacent counties; 


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SRES 230 ATS 

Whereas the population of shore adjacent counties in the 

United States increased by 39 percent from 1970 to 

2010 and is projected to continue to increase; 

Whereas not fewer than 2,100,000 jobs in the United States 

were supported by marine tourism and recreation in 

2013; 

Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries 

support over 1,600,000 jobs in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2015— 

(1) commercial fish landings in the United States 

were valued at nearly $5,300,000,000; and 

(2) recreational anglers took nearly 61,000,000 saltwater fishing trips and spent $28,700,000,000 on fishing 

trips and durable equipment; 

Whereas estuaries provide vital habitats for 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, as well as 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 and storms; 

Whereas the United States had already lost more than 50 

percent of the wetlands that existed in the 13 Colonies 

by the 1980s; 

Whereas some bays in the United States that were once filled 

with fish and oysters have become dead zones filled with 


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SRES 230 ATS 

excess nutrients, chemical wastes, harmful algae, and marine debris; 

Whereas changes in sea level can affect estuarine water quality and estuarine habitats; 

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; 

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 16 through September 23, 

2017, 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 


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SRES 230 ATS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of September 16 

3 through September 23, 2017, 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 persistent threats under12 mine the health of the estuaries of the United 

13 States; 

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; 

18 (6) reaffirms the support of the Senate for es19 tuaries, including the scientific study, preservation, 

20 protection, and restoration of estuaries; and 

21 (7) expresses the intent of the Senate to con22 tinue working to understand, protect, and restore 

23 the estuaries of the United States. 

Æ 


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