III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 830 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2022, 

to October 31, 2022, as ‘‘Bat Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2022 

Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. MARKEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of 

October 24, 2022, to October 31, 2022, as ‘‘Bat Week’’. 

Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural ecosystems, national economies, and human health by controlling damaging insect pests, pollinating plants that 

produce fruits and vegetables, dispersing seeds to ensure 

healthy functioning forests and fields, and saving farmers 

in the United States more than $3,000,000,000 in pest 

control every year; 

Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through 

backyard sightings, folklore, art, myths, and legends, 

making outreach and education about the importance of 

bats instrumental; 


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•SRES 830 IS 

Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in extremely cold regions, and are the second-largest order of 

mammals with over 1,400 species; 

Whereas white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has 

killed millions of bats in North America, has now spread 

to 38 States and 12 species of hibernating bats; 

Whereas the disease has caused significant declines in populations of the tricolored bat, the little brown bat, and the 

northern long-eared bat, which are listed as threatened 

under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.); 

Whereas the Department of the Interior, through the United 

States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land 

Management is leading the international response to the 

disease in partnership with the United States Forest 

Service and more than 150 Federal and State agencies, 

Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, and universities; 

Whereas the United States Geological Survey and the United 

States Fish and Wildlife Service co-lead the multinational, multiagency North American Bat Monitoring 

Program (NABat) which since 2015 has consolidated 

nearly 68,000,000 records from partners in 49 States, 8 

Canadian provinces, and 10 Tribal organizations, demonstrating the power of collaborative conservation science 

to monitor changes in North American bat populations; 

Whereas the United States Geological Survey conducts scientific research on bats, which helps resource managers 

and policymakers make informed decisions regarding the 

conservation of bats across North America; and 


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•SRES 830 IS 

Whereas, in the past decade, the international partnership of 

States, Tribes, Federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and institutions has made extraordinary 

progress to understand white-nose syndrome, slow the 

spread, and develop treatments that hold promise for 

ending this epidemic: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘Bat Week’’; 

4 (2) encourages the observance of Bat Week 

5 with appropriate events and activities; 

6 (3) acknowledges the important role bats play 

7 as pollinators and pest control for agriculture; and 

8 (4) intends to— 

9 (A) continue working to conserve bat spe10 cies and habitat; and 

11 (B) work to defeat the disease known as 

12 white-nose syndrome. 

Æ 


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