III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 852 

Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Marine Protection, 

Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, which provided for the establishment of national marine sanctuaries. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 30 (legislative day, NOVEMBER 29), 2022 

Ms. BALDWIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the 

Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 

1972, which provided for the establishment of national 

marine sanctuaries. 

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, as of October 2022, the National Marine Sanctuary 

System is a nationwide network that conserves spectacular oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes waters; 

Whereas communities across the United States can nominate 

their most treasured places in marine and Great Lakes 

waters for consideration as national marine sanctuaries; 


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•SRES 852 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 provide opportunities 

for community-Tribal partnerships to preserve the traditional ecological resources and cultural sites of local Indigenous peoples; 

Whereas the conservation of marine ecosystems is vital for 

healthy oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes, addressing climate change, and sustaining productive coastal economies; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries support coastal communities and generate billions of dollars annually in local 

economies 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, recreation, and 

stewardship, inspiring community-based solutions that 

help individuals understand and protect the most spectacular underwater habitats, wildlife, archaeological resources, and cultural seascapes of the United States; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries are living laboratories 

to conduct cooperative science and research to improve 

resource management and advance innovative public-private partnerships; 

Whereas national marine sanctuaries can help make the 

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


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•SRES 852 IS 

coastal communities from flooding and storms, and protecting biodiversity; 

Whereas the United States is a maritime nation, and the 

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

of life of the people of the United States; and 

Whereas engaging communities as stewards of the waters 

protected as natural marine sanctuaries makes natural 

marine sanctuaries unique and provides a comprehensive, 

highly participatory approach to conserving marine ecosystems and the Great Lakes for current and future generations: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes and celebrates the 50th anniver3 sary of the enactment of the Marine Protection, Re4 search, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972; 

5 (2) acknowledges the importance of national 

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

8 to nature; 

9 (3) celebrates the ability of the National Marine 

10 Sanctuary System to protect nationally significant 

11 places in the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes; 

12 (4) calls on the National Oceanic and Atmos13 pheric Administration to partner with communities 

14 and find consensus on designations of new national 

15 marine sanctuaries; and 


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•SRES 852 IS 

1 (5) encourages Federal agencies to balance pri2 orities and work together to support the priorities of 

3 the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries 

4 Act of 1972. 

Æ 


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