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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 549 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 549

Recognizing the importance of America's Waterway Watch program, and for 
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2007

Mr. Bilirakis submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
           the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Recognizing the importance of America's Waterway Watch program, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas the United States has a maritime border that exceeds 95,000 miles;
Whereas the Department of Homeland Security has begun to focus greater attention 
        on potential security threats from small vessels and the importance of 
        increasing maritime domain awareness;
Whereas the Coast Guard currently conducts a maritime homeland security public 
        awareness program called America's Waterway Watch program;
Whereas America's Waterway Watch is a public outreach program to encourage 
        America's 70,000,000 boaters and others who live, work, or engage in 
        recreational activities around America's waterways to maintain a 
        heightened sense of awareness in the maritime domain and report 
        suspicious and unusual activities to the Coast Guard National Response 
        Center and other appropriate law enforcement agencies;
Whereas America's Waterway Watch program educates the public on what suspicious 
        activity is and provides a toll-free telephone number, (877) 24-WATCH, 
        for the public to report such activity to prevent terrorism and other 
        criminal acts;
Whereas the Coast Guard promotes this program by distributing educational 
        materials, boat decals, posters, and reporting forms to recreational 
        boaters, marine dealers, marinas, and other businesses located near 
        waterways;
Whereas America's Waterway Watch program acts as a force multiplier for the 
        Coast Guard and local law enforcement and builds on local and regional 
        security programs;
Whereas the Department of Homeland Security conducted a National Small Vessel 
        Security Summit on June 19 and June 20, 2007, to educate small vessel 
        operators and other stakeholders on current security risks and initiate 
        dialogue on possible solutions to mitigate gaps in United States 
        maritime domain awareness; and
Whereas, during the National Small Vessel Security Summit, participants 
        highlighted America's Waterway Watch program and recognized its 
        importance to increasing maritime domain awareness: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the importance of increasing maritime domain 
        awareness;
            (2) encourages those who live, work, or engage in 
        recreational activities around America's waterways to maintain 
        a heightened sense of awareness in the maritime domain and 
        report suspicious and unusual activities to appropriate 
        authorities; and
            (3) supports the goals of America's Waterway Watch program.
                                 <all>
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