[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 423 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 423
Supporting the designation of May 19, 2023, as ``Endangered Species
Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 18, 2023
Mrs. Dingell (for herself, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Beyer) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the designation of May 19, 2023, as ``Endangered Species
Day''.
Whereas plants and wildlife provide incalculable services for humankind,
including health, cultural, economic, recreational, and spiritual
benefits, among others;
Whereas, in the United States and around the world, more than 2,300 species are
recognized as at risk of extinction now or in the foreseeable future,
and many more are experiencing declines in populations and future
viability;
Whereas the planet is experiencing a biodiversity crisis, which many scientists
conclude is the sixth mass extinction event, with plant and wildlife
species across the globe facing heightened risk of extinction that is
largely driven by human activity;
Whereas climate change, large-scale changes in land use, and habitat destruction
pose existential threats to species;
Whereas the United States has prioritized the conservation and recovery of
imperiled species by enacting the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and
other landmark conservation statutes;
Whereas conservation and protection efforts implemented under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 have successfully prevented the extinction of more
than 99 percent of species designated as threatened or endangered,
including the critically imperiled California condor, whooping crane,
and black-footed ferret;
Whereas many at-risk species have significant cultural and subsistence values to
Tribal, indigenous, and Native Alaskan communities, whose Tribal
leadership, ancestral lands, and traditional ecological knowledge play
an invaluable role in species conservation and recovery;
Whereas the United States has the opportunity to stem threats to endangered and
threatened species by enacting and implementing bold policies and
conservation initiatives, including conserving at least 30 percent each
of the Nation's lands and waters by the year 2030;
Whereas the recovery of species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 is a
remarkable success that should be celebrated; and
Whereas 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of ``Endangered Species Day'';
(2) recognizes the intrinsic value of plants and wildlife
as part of the United States environmental heritage, and the
invaluable role that the Endangered Species Act of 1973 has
played in safeguarding at-risk species; and
(3) acknowledges the continued importance of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 and other conservation measures to protect
threatened and endangered species and address the biodiversity
crisis.
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