III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 862 

Designating October 23, 2024, as ‘‘National Marine Sanctuary Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. SCHATZ, 

Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNOCK, Mr. WELCH, Mr. BOOKER, and Mr. 

PETERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating October 23, 2024, as ‘‘National Marine 

Sanctuary Day’’. 

Whereas, on October 23, 1972, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1401 et 

seq.) became law and ushered in a new era of ocean conservation; 

Whereas the National Marine Sanctuary System is a nationwide network that conserves spectacular oceans, coasts, 

and Great Lakes; 

Whereas communities across the United States can nominate 

their most treasured marine and Great Lakes waters for 

consideration as national marine sanctuaries; 


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•SRES 862 IS 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries protect biodiversity, 

safeguard extraordinary seascapes, historic shipwrecks, 

and sacred cultural places, and provide abundant recreational opportunities; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries seek opportunities to 

partner with indigenous governments and communities to 

achieve shared conservation goals and to support the 

care-taking of ecological resources and cultural sites of 

indigenous peoples; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries protect vital habitats 

for countless species of fish and wildlife, including many 

species that are listed as threatened or endangered; 

Whereas the conservation of marine ecosystems is vital for 

healthy oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes, for addressing 

climate change, and for sustaining productive coastal 

economies; 

Whereas the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and its 

partners work to protect and nurture the growth of the 

National Marine Sanctuary System; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries increase access to nature for all, support coastal communities, and generate 

billions of dollars annually in local communities by providing jobs in the United States, supporting commercial, 

Tribal, and recreational fisheries, bolstering tourism and 

recreation, engaging businesses in stewardship, and driving the growth of the blue economy; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries connect people and 

communities through science, education, United States 

history, recreation, and stewardship and inspire community-based solutions that help individuals understand and 

protect the spectacular underwater habitats, wildlife, arVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:42 Sep 27, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR862.IS SR862

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chaeological resources, and cultural seascapes of the 

United States; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries are living laboratories 

that enable cooperative science and research that improves resource management and advances innovative 

public-private partnerships; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries can help make oceans, 

coasts, and Great Lakes more resilient by protecting ecosystems that sequester carbon, by safeguarding coastal 

communities from flooding and storms, and by protecting 

biodiversity; 

Whereas the United States is a historic maritime Nation, and 

oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes are central to the way 

of life of the people of the United States; 

Whereas engaging communities as stewards of these protected waters makes national marine sanctuaries unique 

and provides a comprehensive, ecosystem-based, highly 

participatory approach to managing and conserving marine and Great Lakes environments for current and future generations; and 

Whereas October 23, 2024, is recognized as ‘‘National Marine Sanctuary Day’’ to increase awareness about the importance of the National Marine Sanctuary System and 

healthy oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes and to celebrate 

the many recreational opportunities available for the enjoyment of this network of protected waters: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates October 23, 2024, as ‘‘National 

3 Marine Sanctuary Day’’; 


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1 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

2 and the world to responsibly visit, experience, recre3 ate in, and support the treasured national marine 

4 sanctuaries of the United States; 

5 (3) acknowledges the importance of national 

6 marine sanctuaries in supporting community resil7 ience, protecting biodiversity, and increasing access 

8 to nature; 

9 (4) recognizes the importance of national ma10 rine sanctuaries for their recreational opportunities 

11 and contributions to local and national economies 

12 across the United States; 

13 (5) celebrates the ability of the National Marine 

14 Sanctuary System to protect nationally significant 

15 places in oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes; 

16 (6) calls on the National Oceanic and Atmos17 pheric Administration to partner with communities 

18 and to complete designations of new national marine 

19 sanctuaries; and 

20 (7) encourages Federal agencies to balance pri21 orities and work together to support the priorities of 

22 the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries 

23 Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.). 

Æ 


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