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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 856 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 856

  Recognizing the national marine sanctuaries program as critical to 
 managing the ocean and Great Lake resources of the United States, and 
 commending local and State partners and volunteers of the program for 
                          their contribution.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2006

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Case, Mr. 
   Farr, Mr. Davis of Florida, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. George 
     Miller of California, and Ms. Eshoo) submitted the following 
      resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Recognizing the national marine sanctuaries program as critical to 
 managing the ocean and Great Lake resources of the United States, and 
 commending local and State partners and volunteers of the program for 
                          their contribution.

Whereas the oceans and Great Lakes are critical areas of life-sustaining 
        resources that the Nation must resolve to protect for present and future 
        generations;
Whereas the national marine sanctuaries program is a vital thread in the larger 
        fabric of ocean science, conservation, and education, and influences how 
        the people of the United States understand and care for the oceans;
Whereas the program, consisting of more than 400 partnerships, exemplifies 
        cooperation between a Federal agency and State and local partners, and 
        these partnerships harness the experience of scientists and other 
        experts to further the research, monitoring, education, outreach, and 
        enforcement goals of the program;
Whereas the 13 designated national marine sanctuaries provide manageable and 
        accessible areas in which partnerships, research centers, and educators 
        can focus their efforts, and serve as living laboratories, classrooms, 
        and recreation areas for the people of the United States;
Whereas a process is underway to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 
        Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve as the 14th national marine sanctuary;
Whereas the program depends on thousands of volunteers who contribute tens of 
        thousands of hours, valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the 
        program;
Whereas in 2005, approximately 3,400 volunteers donated more than 114,000 hours 
        to the program;
Whereas the program provides millions of school children and adults with key 
        information and was cited in the United States Commission on Ocean 
        Policy report dated September 20, 2004, as one of the leading forces in 
        providing the Nation with ocean education; and
Whereas the program is an investment in the future of the oceans and protects 
        one of the largest segments of the United States economy, as well as the 
        economies and travel and tourism industries of coastal areas: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the national marine sanctuary program as 
        critical to the management of the ocean and Great Lake 
        resources of the United States;
            (2) recognizes the program as a leading force in promoting 
        ocean education and literacy;
            (3) commends the State and local partners and volunteers of 
        the program for critical management of national marine 
        sanctuaries and devotion to the conservation of these 
        sanctuaries; and
            (4) acknowledges that investing in these sanctuaries will 
        provide economic and other benefits to present and future 
        generations.
                                 <all>
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