IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1179 

Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on October 

11, 2020, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 2, 2020 

Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. KIND, Mr. JOYCE of Ohio, Mr. 

WITTMAN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. 

GARAMENDI, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. 

BLUMENAUER, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. COSTA, Mr. VELA, 

Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. 

HASTINGS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. WELCH, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. HORSFORD, 

Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 

LOWENTHAL, Mrs. LURIA, and Mr. SOTO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning 

on October 11, 2020, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas, in 2019, the National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of land and water to conserve 

wildlife in the world and has grown to 568 national wildVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:05 Oct 03, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1179.IH HR1179

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•HRES 1179 IH 

life refuges and 38 wetland management districts located 

in every State and territory of the United States; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 

and tourism destinations in communities across the 

United States, and this protected land offers a variety of 

recreational opportunities, including the six wildlife-dependent uses of hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 

photography, environmental education, and interpretation; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 

than 59,700,000 annual visits, which generate more than 

$3,200,000,000 in local economies, including 41,000 jobs; 

Whereas 430 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs and 360 units have fishing programs that receive more than 2,400,000 hunting visits 

and more than 7,100,000 fishing visits annually; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System has hosted 

more than 42,100,000 birding and wildlife observation 

visits in recent years; 

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

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 

every kind of ecosystem in the United States, including 

temperate, tropical and boreal forests, wetlands, deserts, 

grasslands, arctic tundras, and remote islands, and spans 

12 time zones from the United States 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; 


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Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

lands on which the production, migration, and wintering 

habitat for waterfowl are fostered; 

Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, 

which has been largely funded from the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, has generated 

more than $1,600,000,000 and enabled the conservation 

of more than 6,000,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl 

and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas refuges provide protection to more than 380 threatened and endangered species; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 

for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of 

the Federal Government, State governments, private 

landowners, and organizations in efforts to secure the 

wildlife heritage of the United States; 

Whereas more than 38,000 volunteers and almost 200 national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute 

around 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, the equivalent of 650 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; 

Whereas there are national wildlife refuges located in numerous urban and suburban areas and there is a refuge located within a 1-hour drive of nearly every metropolitan 

area in the United States, which has enabled national 

wildlife refuges to employ, educate, and engage young 

people from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting 


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with, and preserving the natural heritage of the United 

States; 

Whereas, since 1995, 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 has designated the week beginning on October 11, 2020, as National Wildlife Refuge Week; and 

Whereas the designation 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 for the enjoyment of 

this network of protected lands: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of National Wild3 life Refuge Week; 

4 (2) encourages the observance of National Wild5 life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi6 ties; 

7 (3) recognizes the importance of national wild8 life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 

9 imperiled species and ecosystems, and compatible 

10 uses; 

11 (4) acknowledges the importance of national 

12 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 


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1 and contribution to local economies across the 

2 United States; 

3 (5) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 

4 vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit5 age of the United States for future generations; 

6 (6) identifies the significance of national wild7 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob8 servation, photography, environmental education, 

9 and interpretation; 

10 (7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

11 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi12 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

13 703 et seq.); 

14 (8) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep15 resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na16 tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 

17 (9) expresses the intent of the House of Rep18 resentatives— 

19 (A) to continue working to conserve wild20 life; and 

21 (B) to manage the National Wildlife Ref22 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


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