[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 300 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 300
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 22, 2008
Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the necessity for the United States to maintain its
significant leadership role in improving the health and promoting the
resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, and for other purposes.
Whereas coral reef ecosystems are among the world's most biologically diverse
and productive marine habitats, and are often described as the tropical
rain forest of the oceans;
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems provide the basis for subsistence,
commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine tourism and are of vital
economic importance to coastal States and territories of the United
States including Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands;
Whereas healthy coral reef ecosystems function as natural, regenerating coastal
barriers, protecting shorelines and coastal areas from high waves, storm
surges, and accompanying losses of human life and property;
Whereas the coral reef research community has long established that coral reefs
are subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats,
including climate change;
Whereas the health of coral reef ecosystems is at serious risk due to a variety
of human activities, both local and global;
Whereas protecting and conserving coral reef ecosystems is an urgent issue, but
they may be preserved if we act now;
Whereas changing climate is potentially one of the most significant long-term
influences on the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems,
including the devastating effects of ocean acidification and rising
ocean temperatures;
Whereas a wide variety of destructive fishing practices, including the use of
cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, and explosives, are contributing to
the global decline of coral reef ecosystems;
Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef
resources through the designation and management of several marine
protected areas located in both the Pacific and Caribbean, through
building local management capacity, and by supporting effective
management and sound research to preserve, sustain, and restore valuable
coral reef ecosystems;
Whereas our Nation's coral reef ecosystems provide benefit and opportunity to
all, and conservation of these important resources requires the
coordinated efforts of the many Federal agencies and State, territory,
and commonwealth partners that comprise the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
and our many nongovernmental, international, and academic partners;
Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has established itself
as a global leader in coral reef ecosystem stewardship by launching and
remaining an active and engaged participant in the International Coral
Reef Initiative, and by maintaining professional networks for the
purposes of sharing knowledge and information on coral reef ecosystems,
furnishing near real-time data collected at coral reef sites, providing
a repository for historical data relating to coral reefs, and making
substantial contributions to the general body of coral reef knowledge;
and
Whereas 2008 has been declared the ``International Year of the Reef'' by the
coral reef research community and over 40 national and international
coral reef research, conservation, and academic organizations: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress recognizes the necessity for the United States to
maintain its significant leadership role in improving the health and
promoting the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems, by--
(1) strengthening awareness about ecological, economic,
social, and cultural values of coral reefs and associated
ecosystems;
(2) improving understanding of the critical threats to
coral reefs and generating both practical and innovative
solutions to reduce those threats; and
(3) initiating the prompt development and implementation of
effective management strategies for the conservation and
sustainable use of those ecosystems.
Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008.
Attest:
LORRAINE C. MILLER,
Clerk.