IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 745 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2021, 
to October 31, 2021, as ‘‘BatWeek’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 25, 2021 
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, 2021, to October 31, 2021, 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 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, myths, and legends, and out-
reach and education about the importance of bats are in-
strumental; 
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•HRES 745 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 a deadly fungus causing white-nose syndrome, a dis-
ease that has killed millions of bats in North America, 
has now spread to 40 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 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’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 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 co-lead the multi-
national, multiagency North American Bat Monitoring 
Program (NABat) which since 2015 has consolidated 
nearly 60 million records from 49 States, 8 Canadian 
provinces, and 10 tribal organizations to monitor changes 
in North American bat populations; 
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service main-
tains an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife 
Foundation to administer the ‘‘Bats for the Future 
Fund’’ to raise private funds to curtail the spread of 
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•HRES 745 IH 
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 
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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