IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 427 
Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, 
maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2019 
Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, 
Mrs. DINGELL, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SABLAN, 
Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. 
PAPPAS, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Ms. 
GABBARD, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. COHEN, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KIL-
MER, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, and Mr. ROONEY of Florida) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, 
conserve, maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources. 
Whereas the oceans cover more than 70 percent of our plan-
et; 
Whereas the oceans generate the oxygen we breathe, regulate 
our climate and weather patterns, and provide healthy 
meals for people every day; 
Whereas scientists estimate more than 95 percent of the 
oceans remain unexplored; 
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Whereas the health of our oceans is a reflection of the health 
of our planet; 
Whereas changes in ocean chemistry pose a very real threat 
to marine resources, industries, and jobs; 
Whereas about one-third of the carbon dioxide in the atmos-
phere dissolves into our oceans, causing water chemistry 
to change and become more acidic; 
Whereas our oceans absorb chemical inputs, including carbon 
dioxide from the atmosphere, and the breakdown of or-
ganic matter, and become more acidic; 
Whereas ocean acidification harms oysters, mussels, lobsters, 
clams, corals, and other species building shells, skeletons, 
and reproducing; 
Whereas some finfish lose their sense of smell for identifying 
prey, reproducing, and navigating their habitats in acidic 
waters; 
Whereas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, 80 percent of pollution to the oceans 
comes from land; 
Whereas increased temperatures and nutrient runoff can re-
sult in colonies of harmful algal blooms that grow exces-
sively and produce toxins leaving ocean areas and water-
ways in a hypoxic state that threatens marine life; 
Whereas Tribes have a right and a deep cultural and histor-
ical connection to the fish populations threatened by 
changing ocean chemistry; 
Whereas, according to the United Nations, more than eight 
million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year; 
Whereas marine debris harms our coastal economies, endan-
gers marine life, destroys important marine habitat, 
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propagates invasive species, and creates hazardous condi-
tions for the maritime industry; 
Whereas tiny pieces of plastic, fiber, fragments, and 
microbeads also make their way into marine life, blocking 
digestive tracts, altering growth, and in some cases kill-
ing animals and marine organisms; 
Whereas marine debris is considered a growing global crisis 
that requires collaborative work with partners from 
across the world; 
Whereas we need to improve our understanding of the impli-
cations of environmental stressors, such as harmful algal 
blooms and hypoxia, marine debris, warming and more 
acidic ocean waters, overfishing, and rising sea levels; 
Whereas these environmental stressors are indicators of a 
changing climate and threaten our economy and the live-
lihood of vulnerable coastal communities; 
Whereas, across the United States, the ocean economy sup-
ports more than 3 million jobs and contributes at least 
$352 billion in economic activity annually; 
Whereas, in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly des-
ignated June 8 as ‘‘World Oceans Day’’; and 
Whereas World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to re-
commit to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our 
oceans and its resources: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes World Oceans Day and affirms 
the individual and collective duty, both nationally 
and internationally, to protect, conserve, maintain, 
and rebuild our oceans and its resources; 
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(2) affirms the stewardship of ocean resources 
is vital to both present and future generations; and 
(3) commits to increasing the investment of 
Federal funds in scientific research and monitoring 
to better understand our changing oceans. 
Æ 
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