IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 628 
Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on October 
13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 15, 2019 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. KIND, Mr. 
JOYCE of Ohio, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Miss GONZA´LEZ- 
COLO´N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SOTO, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 
Mr. VELA, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. 
MCNERNEY, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. COSTA, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. ESHOO, 
Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. WELCH, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. PAS-
CRELL, Mr. KHANNA, and Mr. GRIJALVA) submitted the following resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning 
on October 13, 2019, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. 
Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established 
the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island in 
Florida; 
Whereas, in 2019, the National Wildlife Refuge System, ad-
ministered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice, is the premier system of land and water to conserve 
wildlife in the world and has grown to 567 national wild-
life refuges and 38 wetland management districts located 
in every State and territory of the United States; 
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Whereas national wildlife refuges are important recreational 
and tourism destinations in communities across the 
United States, and this protected land offers a variety of 
recreational opportunities, including the six wildlife-de-
pendent uses of hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
photography, environmental education, and interpreta-
tion; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System receives more 
than 50,000,000 visitors annually, which generates more 
than $3,200,000,000 in sales and 41,000 jobs in local 
economies; 
Whereas 382 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
have hunting programs and 316 units have fishing pro-
grams that receive more than 2,000,000 hunting visits 
and more than 7,000,000 fishing visits annually; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System has hosted 
more than 30,000,000 wildlife observation visits in recent 
years; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are important to local busi-
nesses and gateway communities; 
Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses 
every kind of ecosystem in the United States, including 
temperate, tropical and boreal forests, wetlands, deserts, 
grasslands, arctic tundras, and remote islands, and spans 
12 time zones from the United States Virgin Islands to 
Guam; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 
species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 species of 
reptiles and amphibians, and more than 1,000 species of 
fish; 
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Whereas national wildlife refuges are the primary Federal 
lands on which the production, migration, and wintering 
habitat for waterfowl are fostered; 
Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, 
which has been largely funded from the sale of the Fed-
eral Duck Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, has generated 
more than $1,500,000,000 and enabled the conservation 
of more than 5,900,000 acres of habitat for waterfowl 
and numerous other species in the National Wildlife Ref-
uge System; 
Whereas refuges provide protection to more than 380 threat-
ened and endangered species; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores of conservation 
for larger landscapes and resources for other agencies of 
the Federal Government, State governments, private 
landowners, and organizations in efforts to secure the 
wildlife heritage of the United States; 
Whereas more than 38,000 volunteers and almost 200 na-
tional wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ organizations contribute 
around 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, the equiva-
lent of 650 full-time employees, and provide an important 
link to local communities; 
Whereas national wildlife refuges provide an important op-
portunity for children to discover and gain a greater ap-
preciation for the natural world; 
Whereas there are national wildlife refuges located in several 
urban and suburban areas and there is a refuge located 
within a 1-hour drive of nearly every metropolitan area 
in the United States, which has enabled national wildlife 
refuges to employ, educate, and engage young people 
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from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting with, and 
preserving the natural heritage of the United States; 
Whereas, since 1995, refuges across the United States have 
held festivals, educational programs, guided tours, and 
other events to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week 
during the second full week of October; 
Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has des-
ignated the week beginning on October 13, 2019, as Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge Week; and 
Whereas the designation of National Wildlife Refuge Week by 
the House of Representatives would recognize more than 
a century of conservation in the United States, raise 
awareness about the importance of wildlife and the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System, and celebrate the myriad 
recreational opportunities available for the enjoyment of 
this network of protected lands: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of National Wild-
life Refuge Week; 
(2) encourages the observance of National Wild-
life Refuge Week with appropriate events and activi-
ties; 
(3) acknowledges the importance of national 
wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities 
and contribution to local economies across the 
United States; 
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(4) finds that national wildlife refuges play a 
vital role in securing the hunting and fishing herit-
age of the United States for future generations; 
(5) identifies the significance of national wild-
life refuges in advancing the traditions of wildlife ob-
servation, photography, environmental education, 
and interpretation; 
(6) recognizes the importance of national wild-
life refuges to wildlife conservation, the protection of 
imperiled species and ecosystems, and compatible 
uses; 
(7) acknowledges the role of national wildlife 
refuges in conserving waterfowl and waterfowl habi-
tat under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 
703 et seq.); 
(8) reaffirms the support of the House of Rep-
resentatives for wildlife conservation and the Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge System; and 
(9) expresses the intent of the House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(A) to continue working to conserve wild-
life; and 
(B) to manage the National Wildlife Ref-
uge System for current and future generations. 
Æ 
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