Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2019, to October 31, 2019, as "BatWeek".

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 663 Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2019, to October 31, 2019, as ‘‘BatWeek’’. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 30, 2019 Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. WELCH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture RESOLUTION Expressing support for the designation of the week of October 24, 2019, to October 31, 2019, as ‘‘BatWeek’’. Whereas bats are vital to the sustainability of natural eco- systems, national economies, and human health by con- trolling damaging insect pests, pollinating plants such as fruits and vegetables, and dispersing seeds to ensure healthy functioning ecosystems, and research suggests that bats save American farmers more than $3 billion in pest control every year; Whereas bats have captured the human imagination through backyard sightings, folklore, myths, and legends, and out- reach and education about the importance of bats are in- strumental; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:24 Oct 31, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR663.IH HR663 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 663 IH Whereas bats are present throughout the world, except in ex- tremely cold regions, and are the second-largest order of mammals with over 1,300 species; Whereas a deadly fungus causing white-nose syndrome, a dis- ease that has killed millions of bats in North America, has now spread to 38 States; Whereas the disease has been confirmed in 12 species of hi- bernating bats in the United States and is the primary cause for the significant decline in populations of several bat species, especially the tricolored bat, the little brown bat, and the federally threatened northern long-eared bat; Whereas the Department of the Interior’s participation through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, is leading the inter- national response to the disease in partnership with more than 100 Federal and State agencies, Tribes, nongovern- mental organizations, and universities; Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is sup- porting a White-nose Syndrome Challenge for ideas to- ward solutions that can help disarm or weaken Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome disease of hibernating bats; Whereas the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has en- tered into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to establish a ‘‘Bats for the Future Fund’’ to raise private funds to curtail the spread of white-nose syndrome and speed the recovery of bat popu- lations; and Whereas in the past decade, the international response to white-nose syndrome has made extraordinary progress to VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:24 Oct 31, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR663.IH HR663 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 663 IH understand the disease, slow the spread, and develop treatments that hold promise for defeating this epidemic, and therefore it is critical for new public-private partner- ships to defeat the disease: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) expresses support for the designation of 2 ‘‘BatWeek’’; 3 (2) encourages the observance of BatWeek with 4 appropriate events and activities; 5 (3) acknowledges the important role bats play 6 as pollinators and pest control for agriculture; and 7 (4) has the intent to— 8 (A) continue working to conserve bat spe- 9 cies and habitat; and 10 (B) work to defeat the disease known as 11 white-nose syndrome. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:24 Oct 31, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR663.IH HR663 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS