IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 560 

Encouraging observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week with appropriate 

events and activities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 5, 2017 

Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 

KIND, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HECK, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 

Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. KIHUEN, Ms. LEE, Mr. WALZ, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. VELA, 

Mr. PANETTA, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. COSTA, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. CONNOLLY, 

Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. MOOLENAAR, 

Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. POLIS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. HUFFMAN, and Ms. LOFGREN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week 

with appropriate events and activities, and for other purposes. 

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas, in 2017, the National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of lands and waters to conserve 

wildlife in the world and has grown to approximately 


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836,000,000 acres, 566 national wildlife refuges, and 38 

wetland management districts located in every State and 

territory of the United States; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 

and tourism destinations in communities across the 

United States, and this protected land offers a variety of 

recreational opportunities, including six wildlife-dependent uses that the National Wildlife Refuge System manages: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, 

environmental education, and interpretation; 

Whereas, in 2017, 373 units of the National Wildlife Refuge 

System have hunting programs and 310 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System have fishing programs, 

averaging more than 2,400,000 hunting visits and nearly 

6,900,000 fishing visits each year; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experienced 

more than 31,400,000 wildlife observation visits during 

fiscal year 2016; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local businesses and gateway communities; 

Whereas for every $1 appropriated, national wildlife refuges 

generate nearly $5 in economic activity; 

Whereas visitation to the National Wildlife Refuge System increased by nearly 30 percent from 2006 to 2016; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experiences 

over 50,000,000 visits each year, which generate more 

than $2,400,000,000 from sales and 35,000 jobs in local 

economies; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 

every kind of ecosystem in the United States, including 

temperate, tropical, and boreal forests; wetlands; deserts; 


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grasslands; arctic tundras; and remote islands, and spans 

12 time zones from the Virgin Islands to Guam; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 

species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of 

reptiles and amphibians, and more than 1,000 species of 

fish; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

land that fosters production, migration, and wintering 

habitat for waterfowl; 

Whereas, since 1934, the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to 

outdoor enthusiasts has generated more than 

$850,000,000 in funds, which has enabled the purchase 

or lease of more than 5,700,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more 

than 380 threatened species and endangered species; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 

for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of 

the Federal Government and State governments, private 

landowners, and organizations in efforts to secure the 

wildlife heritage of the United States; 

Whereas more than 40,000 volunteers and approximately 200 

national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute more than 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, 

the equivalent of nearly 650 full-time employees, and provide an important link to local communities; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important opportunity for children to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the natural world; 


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Whereas because there are national wildlife refuges located in 

several urban and suburban areas and there is a refuge 

located within a one-hour drive of every metropolitan 

area in the United States, national wildlife refuges employ, educate, and engage young people from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting with, and preserving the 

natural heritage of the United States; 

Whereas, since 1995, national 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 week beginning on October 8, 2017, has been 

designated as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’ by the 

United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and 

Whereas the encouragement by the House of Representatives 

of the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week 

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 

to enjoy this network of protected lands: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) encourages the observance of National Wild3 life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi4 ties; 

5 (2) acknowledges the importance of national 

6 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 


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1 and contribution to local economies across the 

2 United States; 

3 (3) pronounces that national wildlife refuges 

4 play a vital role in securing the hunting and fishing 

5 heritage of the United States for future generations; 

6 (4) identifies the significance of national wild7 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob8 servation, photography, environmental education, 

9 and interpretation; 

10 (5) recognizes the importance of national wild11 life refuges to wildlife conservation and the protec12 tion of imperiled species and ecosystems, as well as 

13 compatible uses; 

14 (6) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

15 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi16 tat pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 

17 U.S.C. 703 et seq.); 

18 (7) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep19 resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na20 tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 

21 (8) expresses the intent of the House of Rep22 resentatives— 

23 (A) to continue working to conserve wild24 life; and 


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1 (B) to oversee the National Wildlife Ref2 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


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