•HRES 1538 IH 
ments, with units located in every State and territory of 
the United States; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 
more than 850,000,000 acres of unique habitats and eco-
systems, including tropical and boreal forests, wetlands, 
deserts, grasslands, arctic tundra, remote islands, and 
marine areas, and spans the 12 time zones of the United 
States, from the United States Virgin Islands to Guam; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges support nearly 800 species 
of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of reptiles 
and amphibians, and 1,100 species of fish; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide protection to more 
than 380 threatened and endangered species; 
Whereas more than 65 national wildlife refuges were estab-
lished to conserve federally threatened or endangered spe-
cies such as the American crocodile, California condor, 
Devil’s Hole pupfish, and Antioch Dunes evening-prim-
rose; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 
lands that support waterfowl habitat; 
Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund 
has generated more than $2,000,000,000 and enabled the 
conservation of more than 6,300,000 acres of habitat for 
waterfowl and numerous other species in the National 
Wildlife Refuge System; 
Whereas more than 180 national wildlife refuges conserve 
marine, coastal, and Great Lakes habitats, helping to 
protect communities by reducing the risk of storm-surge 
flooding, especially in low-lying floodplain and coastal 
areas; 
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Whereas meaningful engagement and proactive collaboration 
with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Alaska Native 
organizations, and the Native Hawaiian community is an 
integral aspect of the costewardship of shared natural re-
sources, including National Wildlife Refuge System lands 
and waters; 
Whereas important cultural and historic resources are pro-
tected on national wildlife refuges, such as— 
(1) archaeological sites detailing the lives of Native 
Americans and early colonists at Rappahannock River 
Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia; 
(2) World War II sites in the Pacific, from Attu in 
Alaska to Midway Atoll in the Hawaiian Islands; and 
(3) the remains of the home of Harriet Tubman’s 
father at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Mary-
land; 
Whereas Tribal consultation is a cornerstone of historic pres-
ervation on national wildlife refuges where cultural re-
sources and traditional sacred spaces are important to 
Native American Tribes, such as Pahranagat National 
Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, where the Nuwuvi people fi-
nalized a plan with the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service to respect and showcase ancient petroglyphs; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges use a range of management 
tools, including fire management, invasive species control, 
water management, wildlife health assessments, inventory 
and monitoring species, facility condition assessments, 
five-year infrastructure project plans, and other tools to 
conserve habitat and ensure opportunities for public ac-
cess and recreation; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 
and tourism destinations in communities across the 
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•HRES 1538 IH 
United States and offer a variety of recreational opportu-
nities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
photography, environmental education, and interpreta-
tion; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 
than 68,000,000 annual visits, which generate more than 
$3,200,000,000 for local economies and support 41,000 
jobs; 
Whereas 436 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
have hunting programs and 378 units have fishing pro-
grams that, respectively, support more than 2,600,000 
hunting visits and more than 8,600,000 fishing visits an-
nually; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System hosts nearly 
42,000,000 annual birding and wildlife observation visits; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local busi-
nesses and gateway communities; 
Whereas, for every dollar appropriated to the National Wild-
life Refuge System, an average of approximately $5 is re-
turned to local economies; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important op-
portunity for children to discover and gain a greater ap-
preciation for the natural world; 
Whereas more than 23,000 volunteers contributed approxi-
mately 900,000 volunteer hours in fiscal year 2023, equal 
to the number of hours worked by 550 full-time employ-
ees; 
Whereas, 
approximately 
180 
national 
wildlife 
refuge 
‘‘Friends’’ organizations provide additional volunteer 
labor and serve as an important link between national 
wildlife refuges and local communities; 
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Whereas 101 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
are within 25 miles of population centers of 250,000 peo-
ple or more; 
Whereas, through the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, 
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service works to dis-
mantle barriers that have blocked underserved commu-
nities from full and equal participation in outdoor recre-
ation and wildlife conservation; 
Whereas the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program fosters 
strong new conservation coalitions, educates and employs 
youth, engages communities, builds trust in government, 
and connects individuals with nature; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide opportunities for 
people from all backgrounds to explore, connect with, and 
preserve the natural heritage of the United States; 
Whereas, since 1995, natural wildlife 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 Oc-
tober; 
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has des-
ignated the week beginning on October 13, 2024, as Na-
tional 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 Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System, and celebrate the myriad 
recreational opportunities available for the enjoyment of 
this network of protected lands: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Wild-
life Refuge Week’’; 
(2) encourages the observance of National Wild-
life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi-
ties; 
(3) recognizes the importance of national wild-
life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 
imperiled species and ecosystems, and wildlife-de-
pendent recreational uses; 
(4) acknowledges the importance of national 
wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 
and contribution to local economies across the 
United States; 
(5) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 
vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit-
age of the United States for future generations; 
(6) identifies the significance of national wild-
life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob-
servation, photography, environmental education, 
and interpretation; 
(7) recognizes the important work of urban na-
tional wildlife refuges in welcoming racially, eth-
nically, and economically diverse urban communities 
that were long excluded, including work to— 
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(A) foster strong new conservation coali-
tions; 
(B) provide education and employment op-
portunities to youth; 
(C) improve communities; 
(D) build trust in government; and 
(E) connect individuals with nature; 
(8) recognizes the National Wildlife Refuge 
System’s ongoing commitment to engagement, rela-
tionships, knowledge-sharing, and costewardship of 
the National Wildlife Refuge System lands and 
waters with Tribes, Alaska Native corporations, 
Alaska Native organizations, and the Native Hawai-
ian community; 
(9) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 
refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi-
tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 
703 et seq.); 
(10) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep-
resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 
(11) expresses the intent of the House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(A) to continue working to conserve wild-
life; and 
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