H.Con.Res. 131 (eh) ...

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                  In the Senate of the United States,

                                                         June 10, 1998.
      Resolved, That the resolution from the House of Representatives 
(H. Con. Res. 131) entitled ``Concurrent resolution acknowledging 1998 
as the International Year of the Ocean and expressing the sense of the 
Congress regarding the ocean.'', do pass with the following

                              AMENDMENTS:

        Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert:
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the ocean is of paramount importance to the economic 
        future, environmental quality, and national security of the 
        United States;
            (2) the United States has a responsibility to exercise and 
        promote comprehensive stewardship of the ocean and the living 
        marine resources it contains; and
            (3) Federal agencies are encouraged to take advantage of 
        the International Year of the Ocean in 1998, to--
                    (A) review United States oceanography and marine 
                resource management policies and programs;
                    (B) identify opportunities to streamline, better 
                direct, and increase interagency cooperation in 
                oceanographic research and marine resource management 
                policies and programs;
                    (C) identify opportunities to further cooperation 
                between the United States and other nations to enhance 
                oceanographic research and exploration, and to 
                strengthen international marine resource conservation 
                policies and programs;
                    (D) in cooperation with academic institutions, 
                nongovernmental organizations, and industry, develop 
                scientific, educational, and resource management 
                programs which will advance the exploration of the 
                ocean, the conservation of marine habitats and species, 
                and the sustainable use of ocean resources; and
                    (E) encourage participation in State, local, and 
                private initiatives and programs that use education and 
                the arts to increase public awareness of the ocean and 
                the many benefits that it provides, and to foster 
                understanding of the need to conserve and sustainably 
                manage ocean resources.

    Strike out the preamble and insert:

    Whereas the ocean, which comprises nearly three quarters of the 
            Earth's surface, sustains a large part of the Earth's 
            biodiversity, provides an important source of food, and 
            interacts with and affects global weather and climate;
    Whereas the ocean is critical to national security, is the common 
            means of transportation among coastal nations, and carries 
            95 percent of the United States foreign trade;
    Whereas the ocean and sea floor contain vast energy and mineral 
            resources that are critical to the economy of the United 
            States and the world;
    Whereas ocean resources are limited and susceptible to change as a 
            direct and indirect result of human activities, and such 
            changes can impact the ability of the ocean to provide the 
            benefits upon which the Nation depends;
    Whereas the vast majority of the deep ocean is unexplored and 
            unknown, and the ocean is truly the last frontier on Earth 
            for science and civilization;
    Whereas there exists significant promise for the development of new 
            ocean technologies for stewardship of ocean resources that 
            will contribute to the economy through business and 
            manufacturing innovations and the creation of new jobs;
    Whereas any nation's use or misuse of ocean resources has effects 
            far beyond that nation's borders;
    Whereas it has been 30 years since the Commission on Marine 
            Science, Engineering, and Resources (popularly known as the 
            Stratton Commission) met to examine the state of United 
            States ocean policy and issued recommendations that led to 
            the present Federal structure for oceanography and marine 
            resources management;
    Whereas recent public opinion polls indicate that a large majority 
            of Americans consider the condition of the oceans to be 
            important, and that a large majority rate the overall 
            health of the oceans negatively; and
    Whereas the United Nations has declared 1998 to be the 
            International Year of the Ocean, and in order to observe 
            this occasion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
            Administration and other Federal agencies, in cooperation 
            with organizations concerned with ocean science and marine 
            resources, have resolved to promote exploration, 
            utilization, conservation, and public awareness of the 
            ocean: Now, therefore, be it

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
105th CONGRESS

  2d Session 

                            H. CON. RES. 131

_______________________________________________________________________

                               AMENDMENTS

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