III 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 300 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MAY 22, 2008 
Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the necessity for the United States to maintain 
its significant leadership role in improving the health 
and promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, 
and for other purposes. 
Whereas coral reef ecosystems are among the world’s most 
biologically diverse and productive marine habitats, and 
are often described as the tropical rain forest of the 
oceans; 
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems provide the basis for 
subsistence, commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine 
tourism and are of vital economic importance to coastal 
States and territories of the United States including 
Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands; 
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems function as natural, 
regenerating coastal barriers, protecting shorelines and 
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coastal areas from high waves, storm surges, and accom-
panying losses of human life and property; 
Whereas the coral reef research community has long estab-
lished that coral reefs are subject to a wide range of nat-
ural and anthropogenic threats, including climate change; 
Whereas the health of coral reef ecosystems is at serious risk 
due to a variety of human activities, both local and glob-
al; 
Whereas protecting and conserving coral reef ecosystems is 
an urgent issue, but they may be preserved if we act now; 
Whereas changing climate is potentially one of the most sig-
nificant long-term influences on the structure and func-
tion of coral reef ecosystems, including the devastating 
effects of ocean acidification and rising ocean tempera-
tures; 
Whereas a wide variety of destructive fishing practices, in-
cluding the use of cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, 
and explosives, are contributing to the global decline of 
coral reef ecosystems; 
Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect na-
tional coral reef resources through the designation and 
management of several marine protected areas located in 
both the Pacific and Caribbean, through building local 
management capacity, and by supporting effective man-
agement and sound research to preserve, sustain, and re-
store valuable coral reef ecosystems; 
Whereas our Nation’s coral reef ecosystems provide benefit 
and opportunity to all, and conservation of these impor-
tant resources requires the coordinated efforts of the 
many Federal agencies and State, territory, and common-
wealth partners that comprise the U.S. Coral Reef Task 
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Force and our many nongovernmental, international, and 
academic partners; 
Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has 
established itself as a global leader in coral reef eco-
system stewardship by launching and remaining an active 
and engaged participant in the International Coral Reef 
Initiative, and by maintaining professional networks for 
the purposes of sharing knowledge and information on 
coral reef ecosystems, furnishing near real-time data col-
lected at coral reef sites, providing a repository for his-
torical data relating to coral reefs, and making substan-
tial contributions to the general body of coral reef knowl-
edge; and 
Whereas 2008 has been declared the ‘‘International Year of 
the Reef’’ by the coral reef research community and over 
40 national and international coral reef research, con-
servation, and academic organizations: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress recognizes the necessity 
for the United States to maintain its significant leadership 
role in improving the health and promoting the resiliency 
of coral reef ecosystems, by— 
(1) strengthening awareness about ecological, 
economic, social, and cultural values of coral reefs 
and associated ecosystems; 
(2) improving understanding of the critical 
threats to coral reefs and generating both practical 
and innovative solutions to reduce those threats; and 
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(3) initiating the prompt development and im-
plementation of effective management strategies for 
the conservation and sustainable use of those eco-
systems. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008. 
Attest: 
LORRAINE C. MILLER, 
Clerk. 
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