IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1446 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2022, 
to October 31, 2022, as ‘‘Bat Week’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 21, 2022 
Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of 
October 24, 2022, to October 31, 2022, as ‘‘Bat Week’’. 
Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural eco-
systems, national economies, and human health by con-
trolling damaging insect pests, pollinating plants that 
produce fruits and vegetables, dispersing seeds to ensure 
healthy functioning forests and fields, and saving farmers 
in the United States more than $3,000,000,000 in pest 
control every year; 
Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through 
backyard sightings, folklore, art, myths, and legends, 
making outreach and education about the importance of 
bats instrumental; 
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•HRES 1446 IH 
Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in ex-
tremely cold regions, and are the second-largest order of 
mammals with over 1,400 species; 
Whereas white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has 
killed millions of bats in North America, has now spread 
to 38 States and 12 species of hibernating bats; 
Whereas the disease has caused significant declines in popu-
lations of the tricolored bat, the little brown bat, and the 
northern long-eared bat, which is listed as threatened 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.); 
Whereas the Department of the Interior, through the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geologi-
cal Survey, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land 
Management, is leading the international response to the 
disease in partnership with the Forest Service and more 
than 150 Federal and State agencies, Tribes, nongovern-
mental organizations, and universities; 
Whereas the United States Geological Survey and the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service colead the multinational, 
multiagency North American Bat Monitoring Program 
(NABat) which, since 2015, has consolidated nearly 
68,000,000 records from partners in 49 States, 8 Cana-
dian Provinces, and 10 Tribal organizations, dem-
onstrating the power of collaborative conservation science 
to monitor changes in North American bat populations; 
Whereas the United States Geological Survey conducts sci-
entific research on bats that helps resource managers and 
policymakers make informed decisions regarding the con-
servation of bats across North America; and 
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•HRES 1446 IH 
Whereas in the past decade, the international partnership of 
States, Tribes, Federal agencies, nongovernmental orga-
nizations, and institutions has made extraordinary 
progress to understand white-nose syndrome, slow the 
spread, and develop treatments that hold promise for 
ending this epidemic: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses support for the designation of 
‘‘Bat Week’’; 
(2) encourages the observance of Bat Week 
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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