Congressional Record—Senate S5902
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S5902 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 17, 2019 S. RES. 362 and there is a national wildlife refuge lo- (2) acknowledged by the Supreme Court of Whereas, in 1903, President Theodore Roo- cated within a 1-hour drive of nearly every the United States, State supreme courts, and sevelt established the first national wildlife metropolitan area in the United States, many State and Federal laws that prohibit refuge on Pelican Island in Florida; which has enabled national wildlife refuges youth under the age of 18 from taking on Whereas, in 2019, the National Wildlife Ref- to employ, educate, and engage young people major adult responsibilities such as voting, uge System, administered by the United from all backgrounds in exploring, con- jury duty, and military service; States Fish and Wildlife Service, is the pre- necting with, and preserving the natural her- Whereas youth who are placed under the mier system of land and water to conserve itage of the United States; commitment of the juvenile court system wildlife in the world and has grown to 567 na- Whereas, since 1995, national wildlife ref- are able to access age-appropriate services tional wildlife refuges and 38 wetland man- uges across the United States have held fes- and education and remain closer to their agement districts located in every State and tivals, educational programs, guided tours, families, which reduces the likelihood that territory of the United States; and other events to celebrate National Wild- those youth will commit offenses in the fu- Whereas national wildlife refuges are im- life Refuge Week during the second full week ture; portant recreational and tourism destina- of October; Whereas, every year in the United States, tions in communities across the United Whereas the United States Fish and Wild- an estimated 76,000 youth are tried, sen- States and offer a variety of recreational op- life Service has designated the week begin- tenced, or incarcerated as adults, and most portunities, including 6 wildlife-dependent ning on October 13, 2019, as ‘‘National Wild- of those youth are prosecuted for nonviolent uses that the National Wildlife Refuge Sys- life Refuge Week’’; and offenses; tem manages, specifically hunting, fishing, Whereas the designation of National Wild- Whereas most laws allowing the prosecu- wildlife observation, photography, environ- life Refuge Week by the Senate would recog- tion of youth as adults were enacted before mental education, and interpretation; nize more than a century of conservation in the publication of research-based evidence Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge Sys- the United States, raise awareness about the by the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- tem receives more than 50,000,000 visitors an- importance of wildlife and the National vention and the Office of Juvenile Justice nually, which generates more than Wildlife Refuge System, and celebrate the and Delinquency Prevention of the Depart- $3,200,000,000 in sales and more than 41,000 myriad recreational opportunities available ment of Justice demonstrating that pros- jobs in local economies; for the enjoyment of the protected land and ecuting youth in adult court actually de- Whereas 382 units of the National Wildlife water within that system: Now, therefore, be creases public safety as, on average, youth Refuge System have hunting programs that it prosecuted in adult court are 34 percent receive more than 2,000,000 hunting visits an- Resolved, That the Senate— more likely to commit future crimes than (1) designates the week beginning on Octo- nually, and 316 units of the National Wildlife youth retained in the juvenile court system; ber 13, 2019, as ‘‘National Wildlife Refuge Refuge System have fishing programs that Whereas youth of color, youth with disabil- Week’’; receive more than 7,000,000 fishing visits an- ities, and youth with mental health issues (2) encourages the observance of National nually; are disproportionally represented at all Wildlife Refuge Week with appropriate Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge Sys- stages of the criminal justice system; events and activities; tem has hosted more than 30,000,000 wildlife Whereas it is harmful to public safety and (3) acknowledges the importance of na- observation visits in recent years; to young offenders to confine youth in adult tional wildlife refuges for their recreational Whereas national wildlife refuges are im- jails or prisons where they are significantly opportunities and contribution to local portant to local businesses and gateway more likely to be physically and sexually as- economies across the United States; communities; saulted and often placed in solitary confine- Whereas the National Wildlife Refuge Sys- (4) finds that national wildlife refuges play a vital role in securing the hunting and fish- ment; tem encompasses every kind of ecosystem in Whereas youth sentenced as adults receive the United States, including temperate, ing heritage of the United States for future generations; an adult criminal record that hinders future tropical, and boreal forests, wetlands, education and employment opportunities; deserts, grasslands, arctic tundras, and re- (5) identifies the significance of national wildlife refuges in advancing the traditions Whereas youth who receive extremely long mote islands, and spans 12 time zones from sentences deserve an opportunity to dem- the United States Virgin Islands to Guam; of wildlife observation, photography, envi- ronmental education, and interpretation; onstrate their potential to grow and change; Whereas national wildlife refuges are home and to more than— (6) recognizes the importance of national wildlife refuges to wildlife conservation, the Whereas, in October, people around the (1) 700 species of birds; United States participate in Youth Justice (2) 220 species of mammals; protection of imperiled species and eco- (3) 250 species of reptiles and amphibians; systems, and compatible uses; Action Month to increase public awareness and (7) acknowledges the role of national wild- of the issues facing youth transferred to the (4) 1,000 species of fish; life refuges in conserving waterfowl and wa- adult criminal justice system and to provide Whereas national wildlife refuges are the terfowl habitat under the Migratory Bird people across the United States with an op- primary Federal land on which the produc- Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.); portunity to develop action-oriented events tion, migration, and wintering habitats for (8) reaffirms the support of the Senate for in their communities: Now, therefore, be it waterfowl are fostered; wildlife conservation and the National Wild- Resolved, That the Senate— Whereas, since 1934, the Migratory Bird life Refuge System; and (1) acknowledges that the collateral con- Conservation Fund, which has been largely (9) expresses the intent of the Senate— sequences normally applied in the adult funded from the sale of the Federal Duck (A) to continue working to conserve wild- criminal justice system should not auto- Stamp to outdoor enthusiasts, has generated life; and matically apply to youth arrested for crimes more than $1,500,000,000 and enabled the con- (B) to manage the National Wildlife Refuge before the age of 18; servation of more than 5,900,000 acres of System for current and future generations. (2) designates October 2019 as ‘‘National Youth Justice Action Month’’; and habitat for waterfowl and numerous other f species in the National Wildlife Refuge Sys- (3) recognizes and supports the goals and tem; SENATE RESOLUTION 363—DESIG- ideals of National Youth Justice Action Whereas national wildlife refuges provide NATING OCTOBER 2019 AS ‘‘NA- Month. protection to more than 380 threatened and TIONAL YOUTH JUSTICE ACTION f endangered species; MONTH’’ Whereas national wildlife refuges are cores SENATE RESOLUTION 364—CON- Mr. SCHUMER (for Ms. HARRIS) sub- of conservation for larger landscapes and re- GRATULATING THE WASHINGTON mitted the following resolution; which sources for other agencies of the Federal MYSTICS ON WINNING THE 2019 was referred to the Committee on the Government, State governments, private WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKET- Judiciary: landowners, and organizations in efforts to BALL ASSOCIATION CHAMPION- S. RES. 363 secure the wildlife heritage of the United SHIP States; Whereas the historical role of the juvenile Whereas more than 38,000 volunteers and court system is to rehabilitate and treat Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Mr. almost 200 national wildlife refuge ‘‘Friends’’ young offenders while holding them account- CARDIN, Mr. KAINE, Mr. WARNER, and organizations contribute approximately able and maintaining public safety, and the Ms. CANTWELL) submitted the following 1,350,000 volunteer hours annually, the equiv- juvenile court system is therefore better resolution; which was considered and alent of 650 full-time employees, and provide equipped to work with youth than the adult agreed to: an important link to local communities; criminal justice system, which is punitive in Whereas national wildlife refuges provide nature; S. RES. 364 an important opportunity for children to dis- Whereas youth are developmentally dif- Whereas, on October 10, 2019, the Wash- cover and gain a greater appreciation for the ferent from adults, and those differences ington Mystics won the 2019 Women’s Na- natural world; have been— tional Basketball Association (referred to in Whereas there are national wildlife refuges (1) documented by research on the adoles- this preamble as the ‘‘WNBA’’) champion- located in several urban