III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 396 

Designating the week beginning on October 8, 2023, as ‘‘National Wildlife 

Refuge Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 4, 2023 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

REED, Mr. CARPER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. KING, and 

Mr. CARDIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week beginning on October 8, 2023, as 

‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’. 

Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service administers the National Wildlife Refuge System to conserve, 

manage, and, where appropriate, restore fish, wildlife, 

and plant resources and their habitats within the United 

States for the benefit of current and future generations; 

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System is administered 

by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and has 

grown to include 568 national wildlife refuges, 38 wetVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:45 Oct 05, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR396.IS SR396

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land management districts, and 5 marine national monuments with units located in every State and territory of 

the United States; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 

more than 850,000,000 acres of unique habitats and ecosystems, including tropical and boreal forests, wetlands, 

deserts, grasslands, arctic tundras, remote islands, and 

marine areas, and spans 12 time zones from the United 

States Virgin Islands to Guam; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges support approximately 800 

species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of 

reptiles and amphibians, and 1,100 species of fish; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more 

than 380 threatened species and endangered species; 

Whereas 65 national wildlife refuges were established to conserve species considered to be threatened or endangered 

under Federal standards, including the American crocodile, California condor, Devil’s Hole pupfish, and Antioch 

Dunes evening primrose; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

lands that support waterfowl habitat; 

Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund 

has generated more than $2,000,000,000 and enabled the 

conservation of more than 6,300,000 acres of habitat for 

waterfowl and numerous other species in the National 

Wildlife Refuge System; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges protect and conserve climate-resilient habitats that support biodiversity and provide nature-based solutions; 

Whereas more than 180 national wildlife refuges conserve 

marine, coastal, and Great Lakes habitats, helping to 


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•SRES 396 IS 

protect communities by reducing the risk of storm-surge 

flooding, especially in low-lying floodplain and coastal 

areas; 

Whereas many national wildlife refuges are managed to reduce wildfire risk by thinning overgrown forests and removing invasive species; 

Whereas meaningful engagement and proactive collaboration 

with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Alaska Native 

organizations, and the Native Hawaiian community is an 

integral aspect of the co-stewardship of our shared natural resources, including National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters; 

Whereas important cultural and historic resources are protected on national wildlife refuges, including— 

(1) archaeological sites detailing the lives of Native 

Americans and early colonists at Rappahannock River 

Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia; 

(2) World War II sites in the Pacific, from Attu in 

Alaska to Midway Atoll in the Hawaiian Islands; and 

(3) the remains of the home of the father of Harriet 

Tubman at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in 

Maryland; 

Whereas Tribal consultation is a cornerstone of historic preservation on national wildlife refuges where cultural resources and traditional sacred spaces are important to 

Native American Tribes, including Pahranagat National 

Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, where the Nuwuvi people finalized a plan with the United States Fish and Wildlife 

Service to respect and showcase ancient petroglyphs; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges use a range of management 

tools, including fire management, invasive species control, 


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water management, wildlife health assessments, inventory 

and monitoring species, facility condition assessments, 5- 

year infrastructure project plans, and other tools to conserve habitat and ensure opportunities for public access 

and recreation; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 

and tourism destinations in communities across the 

United States, and offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including sustainable hunting and fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, 

and interpretation; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives nearly 

68,000,000 annual visits that— 

(1) generate more than $3,200,000,000 for local 

economies; and 

(2) support 41,000 jobs; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System hosts more 

than 42,000,000 annual birding and wildlife observation 

visits; 

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

Whereas, for every dollar appropriated to the National Wildlife Refuge System, an average of approximately 5 dollars 

is returned to local economies; 

Whereas 436 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs and 378 units have fishing programs that support, respectively, more than 2,600,000 

hunting visits and more than 8,600,000 fishing visits annually; 


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•SRES 396 IS 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important opportunity for children to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the natural world; 

Whereas more than 15,000 volunteers and approximately 180 

national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute approximately 818,000 volunteer hours annually, 

the equivalent of 400 full-time employees, and provide an 

important link between national wildlife refuges and local 

communities; 

Whereas 101 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

are within 25 miles of cities and suburbs where 80 percent of individuals in the United States live; 

Whereas, through the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, 

the United States Fish and Wildlife Service works to dismantle barriers that have blocked underserved communities from full and equal participation in outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation; 

Whereas the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program fosters 

strong new conservation coalitions, educates and employs 

youth, engages communities, builds trust in government, 

and connects individuals with nature; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges provide opportunities for 

people from all backgrounds to explore, connect with, and 

preserve 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; 


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Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the week beginning on October 8, 2023, as National Wildlife Refuge Week; and 

Whereas the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by 

the Senate 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 Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week beginning on October 

3 8, 2023, as ‘‘National Wildlife 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 wildlife-de10 pendent recreational uses; 

11 (4) acknowledges the importance of national 

12 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 

13 and contribution to local economies across the 

14 United States; 

15 (5) identifies the significance of national wild16 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife obVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:45 Oct 05, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR396.IS SR396

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1 servation, photography, and interpretation, as well 

2 as environmental education; 

3 (6) 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 (7) recognizes the important work of urban na7 tional wildlife refuges in welcoming racially and eth8 nically diverse urban communities that were long ex9 cluded, including work— 

10 (A) to foster strong new conservation coali11 tions; 

12 (B) to provide education and employment 

13 opportunities to youth; 

14 (C) to improve communities; 

15 (D) to build trust in government; and 

16 (E) to connect individuals with nature; 

17 (8) recognizes the commitment of the National 

18 Wildlife Refuge System to engagement, relation19 ships, knowledge-sharing, and co-stewardship of Na20 tional Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters with 

21 Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Alaska Native 

22 organizations, and the Native Hawaiian community; 

23 (9) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

24 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habiVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:45 Oct 05, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR396.IS SR396

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1 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

2 703 et seq.); 

3 (10) reaffirms the support of the Senate for 

4 wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Ref5 uge System; and 

6 (11) expresses the intent of the Senate— 

7 (A) to continue working to conserve wild8 life; and 

9 (B) to support the management of the 

10 United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the 

11 National Wildlife Refuge System for current 

12 and future generations. 

Æ 


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