III

Calendar No. 405

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 131

[Report No. 105–209]

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 28, 1998

Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation

JUNE 10, 1998

Reported by Mr. MCCAIN, with an amendment and an amendment to the

preamble

[Strike the preamble and all after the resolving clause and insert the parts printed in italic]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean

and expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the

ocean.

Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three-quarters of

the Earth’s surface, sustains a large part of the Earth’s

biodiversity, provides an important source of food, and

interacts with and affects global weather and climate;

Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the common means of transportation among coastal nations, and

carries 95 percent of the United States foreign trade;
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•HCON 131 RS

Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and

mineral resources that are critical to the economy of the

United States and the world;

Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to

change as a direct and indirect result of human activities,

and such changes can impact the ability of the ocean to

provide the benefits upon which the Nation depends;

Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored

and unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on

Earth for science and civilization;

Whereas there exists significant promise for the development

of new ocean technologies for stewardship of ocean resources that will contribute to the economy through business and manufacturing innovations and the creation of

new jobs;

Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources (popularly

known as the Stratton Commission) met to examine the

state of the United States ocean policy and issued recommendations that led to the present Federal structure

for oceanography and marine resource management; and

Whereas 1998 has been declared the International Year of

the Ocean, and in order to observe such celebration, the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and

other Federal agencies, in cooperation with organizations

concerned with ocean science and marine resources, have

resolved to promote exploration, utilization, conservation,

and public awareness of the ocean: Now, therefore, be it

Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three quarters

of the Earth’s surface, sustains a large part of the

Earth’s biodiversity, provides an important source of
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•HCON 131 RS

food, and interacts with and affects global weather and

climate;

Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the

common means of transportation among coastal nations, and carries 95 percent of the United States foreign trade;

Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and

mineral resources that are critical to the economy of

the United States and the world;

Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to

change as a direct and indirect result of human activities, and such changes can impact the ability of the

ocean to provide the benefits upon which the Nation

depends;

Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored

and unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier

on Earth for science and civilization;

Whereas there exists significant promise for the development of new ocean technologies for stewardship of

ocean resources that will contribute to the economy

through business and manufacturing innovations and

the creation of new jobs;

Whereas any nation’s use or misuse of ocean resources has

effects far beyond that nation’s borders;

Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources (popularly

known as the Stratton Commission) met to examine

the state of United States ocean policy and issued recommendations that led to the present Federal structure

for oceanography and marine resources management;
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•HCON 131 RS

Whereas recent public opinion polls indicate that a large

majority of Americans consider the condition of the

oceans to be important, and that a large majority rate

the overall health of the oceans negatively; and

Whereas the United Nations has declared 1998 to be the

International Year of the Ocean, and in order to observe this occasion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other Federal agencies, in

cooperation with organizations concerned with ocean

science and marine resources, have resolved to promote

exploration, utilization, conservation, and public

awareness of the ocean: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to

4 the economic future, environmental quality, and na5 tional security of the United States;

6 (2) the United States has a responsibility to ex7 ercise and promote comprehensive stewardship of the

8 ocean and the living marine resources it contains;

9 and

10 (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take ad11 vantage of the United States and international focus

12 on the oceans in 1998, to—

13 (A) review United States oceanography

14 and marine resource management policies and

15 programs;
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1 (B) identify opportunities to streamline,

2 better direct, and increase interagency coopera3 tion in oceanographic research and marine re4 source management policies and programs; and

5 (C) develop scientific, educational, and re6 source management programs which will ad7 vance the exploration of the ocean and the sus8 tainable use of ocean resources.

9 That it is the sense of the Congress that—

10 (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the

11 economic future, environmental quality, and national

12 security of the United States;

13 (2) the United States has a responsibility to ex14 ercise and promote comprehensive stewardship of the

15 ocean and the living marine resources it contains;

16 and

17 (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take ad18 vantage of the International Year of the Ocean in

19 1998, to—

20 (A) review United States oceanography and

21 marine resource management policies and pro22 grams;

23 (B) identify opportunities to streamline,

24 better direct, and increase interagency coopera-
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•HCON 131 RS

1 tion in oceanographic research and marine re2 source management policies and programs;

3 (C) identify opportunities to further co4 operation between the United States and other

5 nations to enhance oceanographic research and

6 exploration, and to strengthen international ma7 rine resource conservation policies and pro8 grams;

9 (D) in cooperation with academic institu10 tions, non-governmental organizations, and in11 dustry develop scientific, educational, and re12 source management programs which will ad13 vance the exploration of the ocean, the conserva14 tion of marine habitats and species, and the sus15 tainable use of ocean resources; and

16 (E) encourage participation in State, local,

17 and private initiatives and programs that use

18 education and the arts to increase public aware19 ness of the ocean and the many benefits that it

20 provides, and to foster understanding of the need

21 to conserve and sustainably manage ocean re22 sources.
Calendar No. 405

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 131

[Report No. 105–209]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Acknowledging 1998 as the International Year of

regarding the oceanthe Ocean and expressing the sense of Congress

JUNE 10, 1998

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the

preamble