IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 882 

Encouraging the observance of the week beginning on October 9, 2016, 

as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 

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

BLUMENAUER, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COSTELLO

of Pennsylvania, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Ms. LEE, 

Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. 

SABLAN, Mr. WALZ, Mr. WELCH, Mr. HECK of Washington, Ms. 

MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. POCAN, Ms. NORTON, 

Ms. TITUS, Mr. KILMER, and Ms. KAPTUR) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Encouraging the observance of the week beginning on 

October 9, 2016, as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’. 

Whereas in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas 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 encompass 565 national 

wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts, and 5 


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marine national monuments in every State and territory 

of the United States, totaling approximately 836,000,000 

acres; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important destinations 

for recreation and tourism in communities across the 

United States, and these protected lands offer 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, 364 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs and 303 units of the National 

Wildlife Refuge System have fishing programs, averaging 

more than 2,400,000 hunting visits and nearly 6,800,000 

fishing visits each year; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experienced 

more than 30,800,000 wildlife observation visits during 

fiscal year 2015; 

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

Whereas, for every $1.00 appropriated for national wildlife 

refuges, nearly $5.00 in economic activity is generated; 

Whereas visitation to the National Wildlife Refuge System increased by nearly 30 percent between 2005 and 2015; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System experiences 

over 47,000,000 visits each year, which generated more 

than $2,400,000,000 and more than 35,000 jobs in local 

economies during fiscal year 2011; 

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 

lands that foster production, migration, and wintering 

habitat for waterfowl; 

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

outdoor enthusiasts has generated more than 

$850,000,000, which has enabled the purchase or lease of 

more than 5,700,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl and 

other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more 

than 380 threatened and endangered species; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 

for larger landscapes and a means for agencies of the 

Federal Government, State governments, private landowners, and organizations to secure the wildlife heritage 

of the United States; 

Whereas more than 36,000 volunteers and approximately 200 

nonprofit organizations designated as national wildlife 

refuge ‘‘Friends’’ groups contribute more than 1,400,000 

hours annually to preserving the national wildlife refuges, 

the equivalent of nearly 700 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, there are national wildlife refuges located in both 

urban and suburban areas and a national wildlife refuge 

located within an hour drive of every metropolitan area 

in the United States; 

Whereas 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 United States Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to seek stakeholder input on the implementation of 

‘‘Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next 

Generation’’, an update to the strategic plan of the 

United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the future of 

the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas the week beginning on October 9, 2016, has been 

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

United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and 

Whereas the observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week by 

the House of Representatives 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— 


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1 (1) encourages the observance of ‘‘National 

2 Wildlife Refuge Week’’ with appropriate events and 

3 activities; 

4 (2) acknowledges the importance of national 

5 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 

6 and contribution to local economies across the 

7 United States; 

8 (3) pronounces that national wildlife refuges 

9 play a vital role in securing the hunting and fishing 

10 heritage of the United States for future generations; 

11 (4) identifies the significance of national wild12 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob13 servation, photography, environmental education, 

14 and interpretation; 

15 (5) recognizes the importance of national wild16 life refuges to wildlife conservation and the protec17 tion of imperiled species and ecosystems; 

18 (6) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

19 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi20 tat pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 

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

22 (7) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep23 resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na24 tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 

25 (8) expresses the intent of the House— 


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1 (A) to continue working to conserve wild2 life; and 

3 (B) to support the National Wildlife Ref4 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


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