,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #fh  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(      
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #ac1 #bjac   
,mrs4 ,*ri/5s5 submitt$ ! foll[+        
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,natural ,res\rces  ,,resolution    
,express+ support = ! goals & ideals (  
,national ,m>9e ,aw>5ess ,day4  ,:]eas !
 ocean cov]s #ga p]c5t ( ! ,e>?'s       
surface & conta9s #ig p]c5t ( ! planet's
 wat]2 ,:]eas ! m>9e environm5t supports
 ! life ( ne>ly #ej p]c5t ( all species 
on ,e>? & helps su/a9 t life by provid+ 
#bj p]c5t ( ! animal prote9 & five p]c5t
 ( ! total prote9 9 ! human diet2 ,:]eas
 coa/al habitats acc\nt = approximately 
#a_/c ( all m>9e biological             
productivity1 e/u>9e ecosy/ems are among
 ! mo/ productive regions on ! planet1 &
 coral reefs %elt] ! highe/ levels (    
m>9e div]sity 9 ! _w2 ,:]eas coral reef 
ecosy/ems are a s\rce ( food = millions 
( p2 protect coa/l9es f /orms & erosion2
 provide habitat & spawn+ & nurs]y      
gr\nds = economically important fi%     

species2 provide jobs & income to local 
economies f fi%+1 recreation1 & t\rism2 
are a s\rce ( new m$ic9es2 & are        
hotspots ( m>9e biodiv]sity2 ,:]eas x is
 difficult to put a doll> value on "s ( 
! b5efits ! _w's m>9e ecosy/ems provide1
 b a rec5t e/imate /ates t ! total net  
b5efit ( coral reef ecosy/ems alone to  
be #cj1jjj1jjj1jjj p] ye>2 ,:]eas "o ( e
 six jobs 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates is          
m>9e-relat$ & ov] "o-?ird ( ! ,unit$    
,/ates gross national product orig9ates 
9 coa/al areas2 ,:]eas #hj p]c5t ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates ,virg9 ,isl&s' gross      
dome/ic product & employm5t are bas$ on 
m>9e-relat$ t\rism2 ,:]eas ! economy &  
cultural h]itage ( ,am]ican ,samoa1 !   
,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn ,m>iana ,isl&s1
 ,guam1 ,pu]to ,rico1 & coa/al /ates    
across ! cont95tal ,unit$ ,/ates are    
significantly reliant on ! trem5d\s     
ecosy/em s]vices t ! ocean provides2    
,:]eas human-dom9at$ m>9e ecosy/ems are 
exp]i5c+ accel]at+ loss ( populations & 
species ) l>gely unkn[n consequ5ces1    

ov]all rates ( res\rce collapse h       
increas$1 & recov]y pot5tial1 /ability1 
& wat] quality h decreas$ expon5tially )
 decl9+ div]sity2 ,:]eas ! ocean has    
absorb$ a significant portion ( all     
c>bon dioxide emissions1 caus+          
unprec$5t$ *anges to ocean *emi/ry      
affect+ m>9e organisms t use c>bonate to
 build %ells or skeletons2 ,:]eas l>ge  
quantities ( human-g5]at$ tra% ent]s !  
m>9e environm5t z m>9e debris & causes a
 decrease 9 wat] quality1 dea? &        
morbidity = m>9e mammals1 depletion (   
valuable fi%]ies1 & decreas$ t\rism     
rev5ue2 ,:]eas human-induc$ pressures   
su* z pollution1 degradation ( wat]     
quality1 h>mful fi%+ practices1 & a     
*ang+ climate are adv]sely affect+ our  
preci\s m>9e res\rces2 ,:]eas coral     
reefs1 seabirds1 m>9e mammals1 fi%]ies1 
& t\rism w be sev]ely impact$ by !      
,deepwat] ,horizon oil spill2 ,:]eas    
m>9e biodiv]sity loss is increas+ly     
impair+ ! ocean's capacity to function  
effectively z a sy/em1 or to provide    

food1 ma9ta9 wat] quality1 & recov] f   
p]turbations1 yet available data sugge/ 
t at ?is po9t ^! tr5ds are /ill         
rev]sible & ! re/oration ( m>9e ecosy/em
 biodiv]sity has %[n to increase sy/em  
productivity by f\rfold2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$
 ,/ates has _h a long/&+ commitm5t to ! 
pres]vation & cons]vation ( ! m>9e      
environm5t1 z demon/rat$ ?r\gh ! passage
 & implem5tation ( num]\s laws includ+ !
 ,m>9e ,mammal ,protection ,act ( #aigb 
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #acfa et seq471 ! ,coa/al
 ,zone ,managem5t ,act ( #aigb 7#af     
,u4,s4,c4 #adea et seq471 ! ,endang]$   
,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4    
#aeca et seq471 ! ,magnuson-,/ev5s      
,fi%]y ,cons]vation & ,managem5t ,act   
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahja et seq471 ! ,coral 
,reef ,cons]vation ,act ( #bjjj 7#af    
,u4,s4,c4 #fdja et seq471 & o!r /atutes2
 & ,:]eas ! eigh? day ( ,june ( ea* ye> 
is ! appropriate day = designation z    
,national ,m>9e ,aw>5ess ,day3 ,n[1     
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 celebrates !    

div]sity ( m>9e fi%]ies & wildlife & !  
natural beauty & biological ri*ness t   
m>9e ecosy/ems provide2  7#b7 supports !
 goals & ideals ( ,national ,m>9e       
,aw>5ess ,day2 &  7#c7 calls ^u ! p ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates to obs]ve su* a day )     
appropriate c]emonies1 programs1 &      
activities4