119-sres418

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 418 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 418

 Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 20 
 through September 27, 2025, as ``National Estuaries Week''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 September 19 (legislative day, September 16), 2025

Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Alsobrooks, Ms. Baldwin, 
 Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. 
Collins, Mr. Coons, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Kaine, 
 Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, 
 Mrs. Murray, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Reed, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schiff, Mrs. 
 Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. 
 Wyden) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Environment and Public Works

 September 29, 2025

 Committee discharged; considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 20 
 through September 27, 2025, as ``National Estuaries Week''.

Whereas estuary regions cover only 13 percent of the land area in the 
 continental United States but contain nearly 40 percent of the 
 population, 39 percent of the jobs, and 47 percent of the economic 
 output of the United States;
Whereas the oceans, estuaries, and Great Lakes of the United States continue to 
 fuel economic growth across the United States, with employment from the 
 estuarine and ocean economy growing at 4.5 percent in 2023, compared to 
 the national average employment growth of 2 percent;
Whereas the estuary, ocean, and Great Lakes economic sectors created 111,000 new 
 jobs between 2022 and 2023, employed 2,600,000 people, and contributed 
 $511,000,000,000 to the 2023 gross domestic product;
Whereas the commercial and recreational fishing industries support over 
 2,300,000 jobs in the United States;
Whereas, in 2022--

    (1) commercial and recreational saltwater fishing in the United States 
generated $321,000,000,000 in sales;

    (2) angler trip expenditures totaled nearly $13,412,000,000; and

    (3) saltwater recreational fishing supported at least 691,693 jobs, 
generated $138,000,000,000 in sales impacts across the economy of the 
United States, and contributed $45,100,000,000 in income impacts and 
$74,900,000,000 in value-added impacts to the United States;

Whereas estuaries provide vital habitats, nurseries, and migration stopovers 
 for--

    (1) countless species of fish and wildlife, including more than 68 
percent of the commercial fish catch in the United States by value and 80 
percent of the recreational fish catch in the United States by weight; and

    (2) many species that are listed as threatened or endangered, including 
birds integral to the health of estuaries, such as the Snowy Plover and 
Saltmarsh Sparrow;

Whereas estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that protect human health 
 and public safety, including water filtration, flood control, shoreline 
 stabilization, erosion prevention, and the protection of coastal 
 communities during hurricanes, storms, and other extreme weather events;
Whereas restored wetlands in the United States have been shown to remove up to 
 80 percent of nitrogen and 70 percent of phosphorus from runoff water;
Whereas, in 2017, mangrove ecosystems in Florida prevented $1,500,000,000 in 
 direct flood damage during Hurricane Maria;
Whereas coastal wetlands from Maine to North Carolina prevented $625,000,000 in 
 property damage during Hurricane Sandy;
Whereas, in New Jersey, areas with salt marshes experience 16 percent lower 
 annual flood losses than areas without salt marshes;
Whereas, by the 1980s, the United States had already lost more than 50 percent 
 of the wetlands that existed in the Thirteen Original Colonies;
Whereas the degradation and loss of estuaries has led to the collapse of some 
 bays in the United States that were once filled with fish and oysters 
 and have now become dead zones filled with excess nutrients, chemical 
 waste, and marine debris;
Whereas harmful algal blooms are hurting fish, wildlife, and human health and 
 are causing serious ecological and economic harm to many estuaries;
Whereas changes in sea level can affect estuarine water quality and estuarine 
 habitats;
Whereas 

section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) 
 (commonly known as the ``Clean Water Act'') authorizes the development 
 of comprehensive conservation and management plans to ensure that the 
 designated uses of estuaries are protected and to restore and maintain--

    (1) chemical, physical, and biological integrity;

    (2) water quality;

    (3) the balanced indigenous population of shellfish, fish, and 
wildlife; and

    (4) recreational activity;

Whereas the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) 
 provides that the policy of the United States is to preserve, protect, 
 develop, and, if possible, restore or enhance the resources of the 
 coastal zones of the United States, including estuaries, for current and 
 future generations;
Whereas 34 coastal and Great Lakes States and territories of the United States 
 operate or contain a National Estuary Program or a National Estuarine 
 Research Reserve;
Whereas scientific study leads to a better understanding of the benefits of 
 estuaries to human and ecological communities;
Whereas the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, national 
 and community organizations, and individuals work together to 
 effectively manage the estuaries of the United States;
Whereas coastal and marine habitat restoration efforts restore natural 
 infrastructure in local communities in a cost-effective manner, 
 generating an average of 17 jobs for every $1,000,000 invested and 
 helping to reestablish the natural functions of estuaries that yield 
 countless benefits; and
Whereas the week of September 20 through September 27, 2025, is recognized as 
 ``National Estuaries Week'' to increase awareness among all people of 
 the United States, including Federal Government and State, local, and 
 Tribal government officials, of the importance of healthy estuaries and 
 the need to protect and restore estuaries: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
 Estuaries Week'';

    (2) supports the goals and ideals of National Estuaries 
 Week;

    (3) acknowledges the importance of estuaries to sustaining 
 employment in the United States and to the economic well-being 
 and prosperity of the United States;

    (4) recognizes that persistent threats undermine the health 
 of estuaries;

    (5) applauds the work of national and community 
 organizations and public partners that promote public 
 awareness, understanding, protection, and restoration of 
 estuaries;

    (6) supports the scientific study, preservation, 
 protection, and restoration of estuaries; and

    (7) expresses the intent of the Senate to continue working 
 to understand, protect, and restore the estuaries of the United 
 States.
 <all>