III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 415 

Designating the week beginning on October 10, 2021, as ‘‘National Wildlife 

Refuge Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 7, 2021 

Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. KENNEDY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week beginning on October 10, 2021, as 

‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Week’’. 

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 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland 

management districts, with units 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 offer a variety of recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 415 ATS 

photography, environmental education, and interpretation; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 

than 61,000,000 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 has hosted 

more than 37,000,000 birding and wildlife observation 

visits in recent years; 

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

Whereas 434 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs and 378 units have fishing programs that support more than 2,500,000 hunting visits 

and more than 8,300,000 fishing visits annually; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System contains many 

different kinds of ecosystems, including 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 support more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 1,000 species of 

fish; 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

lands that support waterfowl habitats; 

Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund 

has generated more than $1,100,000,000 and enabled the 

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


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 415 ATS 

waterfowl and numerous other species in the National 

Wildlife Refuge System; 

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

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 under-served 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, betters communities, builds trust in government; 

and connects individuals with nature; 

Whereas more than 33,000 volunteers and almost 180 national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute 

approximately 900,000 volunteer hours annually, the 

equivalent of 442 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 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 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 415 ATS 

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 10, 2021, 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 10, 2021, 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 compatible 

10 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 02:28 Oct 08, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR415.ATS SR415

pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 415 ATS 

1 servation, photography, environmental education, 

2 and interpretation; 

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) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

18 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi19 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

20 703 et seq.); 

21 (9) reaffirms the support of the Senate for 

22 wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Ref23 uge System; and 

24 (10) expresses the intent of the Senate— 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 415 ATS 

1 (A) to continue working to conserve wild2 life; and 

3 (B) to manage the National Wildlife Ref4 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS