Back to Bill Details

HRES 549 RHEH

Whereas the United States has a maritime border that exceeds 95,000 miles;

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security has begun to focus greater attention on potential security threats from small vessels and the importance of increasing maritime domain awareness;

Whereas the Coast Guard currently conducts a maritime homeland security public awareness program called America's Waterway Watch program;

Whereas America's Waterway Watch is a public outreach program to encourage America's 70,000,000 boaters and others who live, work, or engage in recreational activities around America's waterways to maintain a heightened sense of awareness in the maritime domain and report suspicious and unusual activities to the Coast Guard National Response Center and other appropriate law enforcement agencies;

Whereas America's Waterway Watch program educates the public on what suspicious activity is and provides a toll-free telephone number, (877) 24-WATCH, for the public to report such activity to prevent terrorism and other criminal acts;

Whereas the Coast Guard promotes this program by distributing educational materials, boat decals, posters, and reporting forms to recreational boaters, marine dealers, marinas, and other businesses located near waterways;

Whereas America's Waterway Watch program acts as a force multiplier for the Coast Guard and local law enforcement and builds on local and regional security programs;

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security conducted a National Small Vessel Security Summit on June 19 and June 20, 2007, to educate small vessel operators and other stakeholders on current security risks and initiate dialogue on possible solutions to mitigate gaps in United States maritime domain awareness; and

Whereas, during the National Small Vessel Security Summit, participants highlighted America's Waterway Watch program and recognized its importance to increasing maritime domain awareness: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes the importance of increasing maritime domain awareness;

(2) encourages those who live, work, or engage in recreational activities around America's waterways to maintain a heightened sense of awareness in the maritime domain and report suspicious and unusual activities to appropriate authorities; and

(3) supports the goals of America's Waterway Watch program.

House Calendar No. 111 Attest:

110th CONGRESS Clerk.