IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 663 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2019, 
to October 31, 2019, as ‘‘BatWeek’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 30, 2019 
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. WELCH) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of 
October 24, 2019, to October 31, 2019, as ‘‘BatWeek’’. 
Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural eco-
systems, national economies, and human health by con-
trolling damaging insect pests, pollinating plants such as 
fruits and vegetables, and dispersing seeds to ensure 
healthy functioning ecosystems, and research suggests 
that bats save American farmers more than $3 billion in 
pest control every year; 
Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through 
backyard sightings, folklore, myths, and legends, and out-
reach and education about the importance of bats are in-
strumental; 
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Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in ex-
tremely cold regions, and are the second-largest order of 
mammals with over 1,300 species; 
Whereas a deadly fungus causing white-nose syndrome, a dis-
ease that has killed millions of bats in North America, 
has now spread to 38 States; 
Whereas the disease has been confirmed in 12 species of hi-
bernating bats in the United States and is the primary 
cause for the significant decline in populations of several 
bat species, especially the tricolored bat, the little brown 
bat, and the federally threatened northern long-eared bat; 
Whereas the Department of the Interior’s participation 
through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, 
and Bureau of Land Management, is leading the inter-
national response to the disease in partnership with more 
than 100 Federal and State agencies, Tribes, nongovern-
mental organizations, and universities; 
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is sup-
porting a White-nose Syndrome Challenge for ideas to-
ward solutions that can help disarm or weaken 
Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes 
white-nose syndrome disease of hibernating bats; 
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has en-
tered into an agreement with the National Fish and 
Wildlife Foundation to establish a ‘‘Bats for the Future 
Fund’’ to raise private funds to curtail the spread of 
white-nose syndrome and speed the recovery of bat popu-
lations; and 
Whereas in the past decade, the international response to 
white-nose syndrome has made extraordinary progress to 
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understand the disease, slow the spread, and develop 
treatments that hold promise for defeating this epidemic, 
and therefore it is critical for new public-private partner-
ships to defeat the disease: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses support for the designation of 
‘‘BatWeek’’; 
(2) encourages the observance of BatWeek with 
appropriate events and activities; 
(3) acknowledges the important role bats play 
as pollinators and pest control for agriculture; and 
(4) has the intent to— 
(A) continue working to conserve bat spe-
cies and habitat; and 
(B) work to defeat the disease known as 
white-nose syndrome. 
Æ 
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