House Calendar No. 19

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 8

[Report No. 105–69]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to

stability of coral reef ecosystems.the significance of maintaining the health and

APRIL 23, 1997

Reported with amendments, referred to the House

Calendar, and ordered to be printed
IV

House Calendar No. 19

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 8

[Report No. 105–69]

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the significance of

maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 9, 1997

Mr. SAXTON (for himself and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) submitted the following

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

APRIL 23, 1997

Additional sponsors: Mr. MILLER of California, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr.

FRELINGHUYSEN, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. HORN, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CANADY of

Florida, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. MICA, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. KLUG, Mr. ROGAN,

Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. PORTMAN, Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN, Mr. ROMEROBARCELO ́, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. DEUTSCH,

Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr.

KINGSTON, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Mr. FARR of California, Ms.

DEGETTE, Mr. DICKS, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. MANTON, Mr. BOEHLERT,

Mr. SHAYS, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. GOSS, Mr. ORTIZ,

Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. CAPPS, and Mr. SHAW

APRIL 23, 1997

Reported with amendments, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered to

be printed

[Strike out the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic]
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•HCON 8 RH

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the significance of maintaining the health and stability of coral

reef ecosystems.

Whereas coral reefs are among the world’s most biologically

diverse and productive marine habitats, often described

as the tropical rain forests of the oceans;

Whereas healthy coral reefs provide the basis for subsistence,

commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine tourism and

are of vital economic importance to coastal States and

territories of the United States including Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and

American Samoa;

Whereas healthy coral reefs function as natural, regenerating

coastal barriers, protecting shorelines and coastal areas

from high waves and storm surges;

Whereas the scientific community has long established that

coral reefs are subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats;

Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef resources through the designation and

management of several underwater national parks

(known as National Marine Sanctuaries), containing reefs

of the Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf of Mexico, the

Florida Keys in south Florida, and offshore Hawaii and

American Samoa;

Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has established itself as a global leader in coral reef

stewardship by maintaining professional networks for the

purposes of sharing knowledge and information on coral
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•HCON 8 RH

reefs, furnishing near real-time data collected at coral

reef sites, providing a repository for historical data relating to coral reefs, and making substantial contributions

to the general fund of coral reef knowledge; and

Whereas 1997 has been declared the ‘‘International Year of

the Reef’’ by the coral reef research community and over

40 national and international scientific, conservation, and

academic organizations: Now, therefore, be it

Whereas coral reefs are among the world’s most biologically diverse and productive marine habitats, and

are often described as the tropical rain forests of the

oceans;

Whereas healthy coral reefs provide the basis for subsistence, commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine

tourism and are of vital economic importance to coastal States and territories of the United States including

Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the

Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;

Whereas healthy coral reefs function as natural, regenerating coastal barriers, protecting shorelines and coastal

areas from high waves, storm surges, and accompanying losses of human life and property;

Whereas the scientific community has long established that

coral reefs are subject to a wide range of natural and

anthropogenic threats;

Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect

national coral reef resources through the designation

and management of several marine protected areas,

containing reefs of the Flower Garden Banks in the

Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys in south Florida, and
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•HCON 8 RH

offshore Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and

American Samoa;

Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has

established itself as a global leader in coral reef stewardship by launching the International Coral Reef

Initiative and by maintaining professional networks

for the purposes of sharing knowledge and information

on coral reefs, furnishing near real-time data collected

at coral reef sites, providing a repository for historical

data relating to coral reefs, and making substantial

contributions to the general fund of coral reef knowledge; and

Whereas 1997 has been declared the ‘‘International Year of

the Reef’’ by the coral reef research community and

over 40 national and international scientific, conservation, and academic organizations: Now, therefore,

be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress to recognize

3 the significance of maintaining the health and stability of

4 coral reef ecosystems, by—

5 (1) promoting comprehensive stewardship for

6 coral reef ecosystems;

7 (2) encouraging research and education on

8 coral reef ecosystems; and

9 (3) improving the coordination of coral reef ef10 forts and activities which take place within Federal

11 agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental or12 ganizations and industry.
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•HCON 8 RH

1 That the Congress recognizes the significance of maintain2 ing the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems, by—

3 (1) promoting comprehensive stewardship for

4 coral reef ecosystems;

5 (2) encouraging research, monitoring, and as6 sessment of and education on coral reef ecosystems;

7 and

8 (3) improving the coordination of coral reef ef9 forts and activities of Federal agencies, academic in10 stitutions, nongovernmental organizations, and

11 industry.

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘Concurrent resolution recognizing the significance of maintaining the

health and stability of coral reef ecosystems.’’.