III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 642 

Designating the week of September 15 through September 22, 2018, as 

‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. REED, 

Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. CARPER, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. MURPHY, Ms. HASSAN, 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. NELSON, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. WARNER, Mr. COONS, Mr. 

VAN HOLLEN, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. KING, 

Ms. HIRONO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. PETERS, and Ms. BALDWIN) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of September 15 through September 

22, 2018, as ‘‘National Estuaries Week’’. 

Whereas estuary regions cover only 13 percent of land area 

in the continental United States but contain nearly 43 

percent of the population, 40 percent of jobs, and nearly 

50 percent of the economic output of the United States; 

Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries 

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

Whereas in 2016— 

(1) commercial fish landings in the United States 

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


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•SRES 642 IS 

(2) 9,600,000 recreational anglers took nearly 

63,000,000 saltwater fishing trips; and 

(3) consumers in the United States spent 

$93,200,000,000 on fishery products; 

Whereas estuaries provide vital habitats for— 

(1) 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; and 

(2) many species that are listed as threatened or endangered species; 

Whereas estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that 

protect human health and public safety, including 

through water filtration, flood control, shoreline stabilization, erosion prevention, and the protection of coastal 

communities during hurricanes, storms, and other extreme weather events; 

Whereas by the 1980s the United States had already lost 

more than 50 percent of the wetlands that existed in the 

original 13 colonies; 

Whereas some bays in the United States that were once filled 

with fish and oysters have become dead zones filled with 

excess nutrients, chemical waste, and marine debris; 

Whereas harmful algal blooms are hurting fish, wildlife, and 

human health, and are causing serious ecological and economic harm to estuaries along every coast and the Great 

Lakes; 

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

Whereas the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 

1251 et seq.) (commonly known as the ‘‘Clean Water 


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Act’’) authorizes the development of comprehensive conservation and management plans to ensure that the designated uses of estuaries are protected and to restore and 

maintain— 

(1) the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of 

estuaries; 

(2) water quality; 

(3) a balanced indigenous population of shellfish, 

fish, and wildlife; and 

(4) recreational activities in estuaries; 

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 


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Whereas the week of September 15 through September 22, 

2018, 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of September 15 

3 through September 22, 2018, 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 estuaries; 

13 (5) applauds the work of national and commu14 nity organizations and public partners that promote 

15 public awareness, understanding, protection, and 

16 restoration of estuaries; 

17 (6) supports the scientific study, preservation, 

18 protection, and restoration of estuaries; and 


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1 (7) expresses the intent of the Senate to con2 tinue working to understand, protect, and restore 

3 the estuaries of the United States. 

Æ 


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