IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 628 

Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on October 

13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2019 

Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. KIND, Mr. 

JOYCE of Ohio, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Miss GONZA ́LEZCOLO ́N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SOTO, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 

Mr. VELA, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. 

MCNERNEY, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. COSTA, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. ESHOO, 

Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. WELCH, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. KHANNA, and Mr. GRIJALVA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning 

on October 13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 

Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 

the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 

Florida; 

Whereas, in 2019, the National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the premier system of land and water to conserve 

wildlife in the world and has grown to 567 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts located 

in every State and territory of the United States; 


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•HRES 628 IH 

Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 

and tourism destinations in communities across the 

United States, and this protected land offers a variety of 

recreational opportunities, including the six wildlife-dependent uses of hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 

photography, environmental education, and interpretation; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 

than 50,000,000 visitors annually, which generates more 

than $3,200,000,000 in sales and 41,000 jobs in local 

economies; 

Whereas 382 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

have hunting programs and 316 units have fishing programs that receive more than 2,000,000 hunting visits 

and more than 7,000,000 fishing visits annually; 

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System has hosted 

more than 30,000,000 wildlife observation visits in recent 

years; 

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

Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 

every kind of ecosystem in the United States, including 

temperate, 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 are home to more than 700 

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

reptiles and amphibians, and more than 1,000 species of 

fish; 


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Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 

lands on which the production, migration, and wintering 

habitat for waterfowl are fostered; 

Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, 

which has been largely funded from the sale of the Federal Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, has generated 

more than $1,500,000,000 and enabled the conservation 

of more than 5,900,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl 

and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Refuge System; 

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

Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 

for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of 

the Federal Government, State governments, private 

landowners, and organizations in efforts to secure the 

wildlife heritage of the United States; 

Whereas more than 38,000 volunteers and almost 200 national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute 

around 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, the equivalent of 650 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 there are national wildlife refuges located in several 

urban and suburban areas and there is a refuge located 

within a 1-hour drive of nearly every metropolitan area 

in the United States, which has enabled national wildlife 

refuges to employ, educate, and engage young people 


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from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting with, and 

preserving the natural heritage of the United States; 

Whereas, since 1995, 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; 

Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week; and 

Whereas the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by 

the House of Representatives 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 House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of National Wild3 life Refuge Week; 

4 (2) encourages the observance of National Wild5 life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi6 ties; 

7 (3) acknowledges the importance of national 

8 wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 

9 and contribution to local economies across the 

10 United States; 


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1 (4) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 

2 vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit3 age of the United States for future generations; 

4 (5) identifies the significance of national wild5 life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob6 servation, photography, environmental education, 

7 and interpretation; 

8 (6) recognizes the importance of national wild9 life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 

10 imperiled species and ecosystems, and compatible 

11 uses; 

12 (7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 

13 refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi14 tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 

15 703 et seq.); 

16 (8) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep17 resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na18 tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 

19 (9) expresses the intent of the House of Rep20 resentatives— 

21 (A) to continue working to conserve wild22 life; and 

23 (B) to manage the National Wildlife Ref24 uge System for current and future generations. 

Æ 


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