,,iii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #aeb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march    
#cj1 #bjbc,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself and 
,mr4 ,braun7 submitted the following    
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on the ,judiciary            
,,resolution  ,designating ,april #bjbc 
as ,national ,native ,plant ,month4     
,whereas native plants are indigenous   
species that have evolved and occur     
naturally in a particular region1       
ecosystem1 and habitat2 ,whereas there  
are more than #ag1jjj native plant      
species in the ,united ,states1 which   
include trees1 shrubs1 vines1 grasses1  
and wildflowers2 ,whereas native plants 
help prevent flooding1 drought1 and     
erosion and can help restore damaged    
ecosystems2 ,whereas native plants      
provide shelter as well as nectar1      
pollen1 and seeds that serve as food for
 native butterflies1 insects1 birds1 and
 other wildlife in ways that non-native 
plants cannot2 ,whereas more than #bjj  

of the native plant species in the      
,united ,states are estimated to have   
been lost since the early #aith century2
 ,whereas habitat loss and degradation1 
extreme weather events1 and invasive    
species have contributed to the decline 
of native plants in the ,united ,states2
 and ,whereas native plants are         
essential components of resilient       
ecosystems and the natural heritage of  
the ,united ,states3 ,now1 therefore1 be
 it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates 
,april #bjbc as ,national ,native ,plant
 ,month2 and  7#b7 recognizes the       
benefits of native plants to the        
environment and economy of the ,united  
,states4