Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 427 Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 5, 2019 Ms. BONAMICI (for herself, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. DINGELL, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico, Mr. SABLAN, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CASTEN of Illinois, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. COHEN, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. KIL- MER, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, and Mr. ROONEY of Florida) sub- mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Recognizing World Oceans Day and the necessity to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources. Whereas the oceans cover more than 70 percent of our plan- et; Whereas the oceans generate the oxygen we breathe, regulate our climate and weather patterns, and provide healthy meals for people every day; Whereas scientists estimate more than 95 percent of the oceans remain unexplored; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jun 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR427.IH HR427 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 427 IH Whereas the health of our oceans is a reflection of the health of our planet; Whereas changes in ocean chemistry pose a very real threat to marine resources, industries, and jobs; Whereas about one-third of the carbon dioxide in the atmos- phere dissolves into our oceans, causing water chemistry to change and become more acidic; Whereas our oceans absorb chemical inputs, including carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and the breakdown of or- ganic matter, and become more acidic; Whereas ocean acidification harms oysters, mussels, lobsters, clams, corals, and other species building shells, skeletons, and reproducing; Whereas some finfish lose their sense of smell for identifying prey, reproducing, and navigating their habitats in acidic waters; Whereas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 80 percent of pollution to the oceans comes from land; Whereas increased temperatures and nutrient runoff can re- sult in colonies of harmful algal blooms that grow exces- sively and produce toxins leaving ocean areas and water- ways in a hypoxic state that threatens marine life; Whereas Tribes have a right and a deep cultural and histor- ical connection to the fish populations threatened by changing ocean chemistry; Whereas, according to the United Nations, more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year; Whereas marine debris harms our coastal economies, endan- gers marine life, destroys important marine habitat, VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jun 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR427.IH HR427 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 427 IH propagates invasive species, and creates hazardous condi- tions for the maritime industry; Whereas tiny pieces of plastic, fiber, fragments, and microbeads also make their way into marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth, and in some cases kill- ing animals and marine organisms; Whereas marine debris is considered a growing global crisis that requires collaborative work with partners from across the world; Whereas we need to improve our understanding of the impli- cations of environmental stressors, such as harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, marine debris, warming and more acidic ocean waters, overfishing, and rising sea levels; Whereas these environmental stressors are indicators of a changing climate and threaten our economy and the live- lihood of vulnerable coastal communities; Whereas, across the United States, the ocean economy sup- ports more than 3 million jobs and contributes at least $352 billion in economic activity annually; Whereas, in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly des- ignated June 8 as ‘‘World Oceans Day’’; and Whereas World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to re- commit to protect, conserve, maintain, and rebuild our oceans and its resources: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 1 (1) recognizes World Oceans Day and affirms 2 the individual and collective duty, both nationally 3 and internationally, to protect, conserve, maintain, 4 and rebuild our oceans and its resources; 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jun 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR427.IH HR427 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 427 IH (2) affirms the stewardship of ocean resources 1 is vital to both present and future generations; and 2 (3) commits to increasing the investment of 3 Federal funds in scientific research and monitoring 4 to better understand our changing oceans. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:18 Jun 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR427.IH HR427 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS