IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1348 
Recognizing the vision of John W. Weeks and his contribution to the conserva-
tion effort with the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911, a significant 
conservation achievement in the history of the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 11, 2010 
Mr. MORAN of Virginia submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Agriculture and Natural Resources, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the vision of John W. Weeks and his contribu-
tion to the conservation effort with the passage of the 
Weeks Act in 1911, a significant conservation achieve-
ment in the history of the United States. 
Whereas John W. Weeks, a Republican from Massachusetts, 
served in the House of Representatives from March 4, 
1905, to March 4, 1913, and in the Senate from March 
4, 1913, to March 3, 1919; 
Whereas, while a Representative, John W. Weeks was instru-
mental in securing the passage of the Act of March 1, 
1911, which authorized the creation of national forests in 
the eastern United States; 
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•HRES 1348 IH 
Whereas the Act of March 1, 1911, is known as the Weeks 
Act in recognition of the role John W. Weeks played in 
the passage of the law; 
Whereas the Act addressed the consequences of increased 
flooding and soil erosion resulting from large scale log-
ging and destructive forest fires in the northeast and 
southern United States; 
Whereas the Act permitted the Federal Government to relieve 
State and local governments from the burden of man-
aging former privately owned lands that were reverting to 
county or State ownership because of delinquent taxes; 
Whereas the Act authorized the Federal purchase of cut-over 
and denuded forestlands in the headwaters of navigable 
streams for the purpose of conserving the flow of navi-
gable streams and rivers or for timber production; 
Whereas the Federal purchase of such land could not occur 
unless a State gave its explicit consent; 
Whereas healthy forested watersheds regulate run-off and 
permit for a more regular water flow, decreasing fluctua-
tion in high and low water level, and forests are crucial 
in mountainous regions in which runoff traversing down 
sloping grades increases erosion of the land and silts the 
streams; 
Whereas a month after President Taft signed the Weeks Act 
into law, 11 land units were purchased in the White 
Mountains of New England and in the southern Appa-
lachians; 
Whereas the Act gave priority to, but did not restrict outside 
of, the White Mountains and Southern Appalachian re-
gion, which at that time required the greatest necessity 
for preventative and protective measures; 
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•HRES 1348 IH 
Whereas 26 eastern States are now home to 52 National For-
ests encompassing 24,878,687 acres; 
Whereas, as a result of the Weeks Act, streams that were 
filled with silt now flow clean and clear, degraded habi-
tats were restored and managed, and fish and game re-
turned to many of the managed lands; 
Whereas many municipal water supplies along the eastern 
coast depend on National Forest watersheds that provide 
clean drinking water to their communities and $450 bil-
lion in food and fiber, manufactured goods, and tourism 
depends on clean water and healthy watersheds; 
Whereas the timber resource, which was nearly nonexistent 
when the Federal Government purchased the land, has 
increased by more than two and a half times since 1952 
and now totals an estimated 42 billion cubic feet of grow-
ing stock and about 210 billion board feet of saw timber; 
Whereas both Republicans and Democrats recognized the im-
portance of the Federal Government in conserving the 
forests and the water supply of the States for long-term 
environmental goals; and 
Whereas 52 National Forests in 26 eastern States may never 
have existed if the Weeks Act had not been passed: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes former Representative and Sen-
ator John W. Weeks for his leading vision and active 
conservation; 
(2) encourages the Forest Service to celebrate 
the centennial of the enactment of the Act of March 
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•HRES 1348 IH 
1, 1911, known as the Weeks Act, a law that helped 
propel the conservation movement and the preserva-
tion of United States forests and watersheds; and 
(3) encourages bipartisan efforts to preserve 
precious natural resources of the United States and 
promote conservation efforts across the country. 
Æ 
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