IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 549 
Recognizing the importance of America’s Waterway Watch program, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 16, 2007 
Mr. BILIRAKIS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the importance of America’s Waterway Watch 
program, and for other purposes. 
Whereas the United States has a maritime border that ex-
ceeds 95,000 miles; 
Whereas the Department of Homeland Security has begun to 
focus greater attention on potential security threats from 
small vessels and the importance of increasing maritime 
domain awareness; 
Whereas the Coast Guard currently conducts a maritime 
homeland security public awareness program called 
America’s Waterway Watch program; 
Whereas America’s Waterway Watch is a public outreach 
program to encourage America’s 70,000,000 boaters and 
others who live, work, or engage in recreational activities 
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•HRES 549 IH 
around America’s waterways to maintain a heightened 
sense of awareness in the maritime domain and report 
suspicious and unusual activities to the Coast Guard Na-
tional Response Center and other appropriate law en-
forcement agencies; 
Whereas America’s Waterway Watch program educates the 
public on what suspicious activity is and provides a toll- 
free telephone number, (877) 24–WATCH, for the public 
to report such activity to prevent terrorism and other 
criminal acts; 
Whereas the Coast Guard promotes this program by distrib-
uting educational materials, boat decals, posters, and re-
porting forms to recreational boaters, marine dealers, 
marinas, and other businesses located near waterways; 
Whereas America’s Waterway Watch program acts as a force 
multiplier for the Coast Guard and local law enforcement 
and builds on local and regional security programs; 
Whereas the Department of Homeland Security conducted a 
National Small Vessel Security Summit on June 19 and 
June 20, 2007, to educate small vessel operators and 
other stakeholders on current security risks and initiate 
dialogue on possible solutions to mitigate gaps in United 
States maritime domain awareness; and 
Whereas, during the National Small Vessel Security Summit, 
participants highlighted America’s Waterway Watch pro-
gram and recognized its importance to increasing mari-
time domain awareness: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the importance of increasing 
maritime domain awareness; 
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(2) encourages those who live, work, or engage 
in recreational activities around America’s water-
ways to maintain a heightened sense of awareness in 
the maritime domain and report suspicious and un-
usual activities to appropriate authorities; and 
(3) supports the goals of America’s Waterway 
Watch program. 
Æ 
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