H.J. Res. 138 is a symbolic congressional resolution that expresses support for naming the second Saturday of January as "National Desert Day" and asks the President to issue a proclamation encouraging public observance.
The text includes a short definition of "desert," lists the four major U.S. deserts, highlights deserts' ecological and cultural significance, and urges policies and public education to protect desert biodiversity.
The resolution does not appropriate funds or create new regulatory authorities. Its practical effect is to provide federal recognition intended to raise awareness about desert habitats, support conservation messaging, and signal congressional interest in actions such as invasive-species reduction and pollinator garden maintenance without imposing binding obligations.
At a Glance
What It Does
The resolution designates the second Saturday in January as National Desert Day, requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe it, and sets out a series of nonbinding policy endorsements — including reducing invasive plants and maintaining a pollinator garden. It also enumerates findings about deserts and their role for migratory birds and biodiversity.
Who It Affects
Federal agencies could be asked to support outreach tied to the proclamation; conservation NGOs, state land managers, and communities in Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan and Great Basin desert regions would be the primary audiences for any programs or events spawned by the observance. The measure does not impose compliance obligations on private parties.
Why It Matters
Although ceremonial, the resolution creates a recurring federal focal point for desert conservation messaging and partnership-building. That can influence grant priorities, agency outreach calendars, and public education campaigns even without new funding or rulemaking.
More articles like this one.
A weekly email with all the latest developments on this topic.
What This Bill Actually Does
The joint resolution opens with a concise definition of “desert” (arid land typically receiving less than 25 centimeters, or 10 inches, of annual rainfall) and names the four major U.S. deserts: Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin. Those introductory findings set the factual frame Congress uses to justify recognizing a dedicated day.
The operative language has five short clauses. First, Congress expresses support for a National Desert Day and asks the President to proclaim it, which is a formal but nonbinding request intended to spur national attention.
Second and third clauses underscore ecological reasons for attention: deserts provide wintering habitat for migrating birds and unique biodiversity, and Congress signals support for native landscapes by committing to reduce invasive plants and maintain a pollinator garden. Fourth, the resolution honors educational efforts aimed at citizens' conservation roles.
Fifth, it broadly encourages pursuit of policies that protect deserts globally.There is no appropriation, regulatory directive, or enforcement mechanism in the text. The resolution functions as congressional guidance and public messaging: it can prompt administrative proclamations, coordinate outreach among federal and state partners, and serve as a reference point for NGOs and local governments planning events or campaigns, but it does not obligate agencies to change rules or allocate resources.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The resolution designates the second Saturday in January as "National Desert Day.", It defines a desert for its purposes as land receiving less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of annual rainfall.
Congress requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the public to observe the day with programs, ceremonies, and activities.
The text explicitly lists the Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin as the four major U.S. deserts.
The measure contains no funding, enforcement provisions, or statutory changes—its directives are advisory and symbolic.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Defines deserts and states why they matter
This opening section provides the factual foundation for the resolution: a rainfall-based definition of "desert," naming the four principal U.S. deserts, and statements about deserts' biodiversity and cultural importance. Practically, these findings justify the observance and will be the lines agencies and NGOs cite when aligning outreach or educational materials with the resolution.
Designation and presidential proclamation request
Clause (1) expresses support for the designation and 'requests' the President to issue a proclamation. That request is a formal, persuasive tool Congress uses to encourage executive branch messaging; it does not create a legal duty for the President or any agency to act, but a proclamation would centralize federal attention and could catalyze events by partners.
Ecological acknowledgments and nonbinding commitments
These clauses acknowledge deserts' roles for migrating birds and biodiversity and include a curious congressional 'commitment' to reduce invasive plant species and maintain a pollinator garden. Those statements read as aspirational policy goals rather than operational directives—no implementation plan, responsible agency, or funding is provided, so any follow-through would depend on voluntary action by agencies, states, tribes, or NGOs.
Encourages protective policies
The final clause urges the pursuit of policies to protect deserts globally. This is deliberately broad: it signals congressional support for future legislative or administrative measures but does not specify what policies, levels of government, or international mechanisms should be used. The clause is primarily hortatory and functions as a policy statement rather than a programmatic mandate.
This bill is one of many.
Codify tracks hundreds of bills on Environment across all five countries.
Explore Environment in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Conservation and environmental NGOs — The designation gives groups a predictable annual occasion to mount outreach, fundraising, and education campaigns focused on desert ecosystems.
- State and local tourism and park managers in desert regions — A federally recognized day can be leveraged to promote eco‑tourism, visitor programming, and local events that showcase desert landscapes.
- Migratory bird and pollinator advocacy organizations — The resolution highlights wintering habitat and pollinator concerns, strengthening messaging and partnership opportunities around species protection and habitat restoration.
- Tribal nations and communities with desert lands — The recognition can raise public awareness of cultural connections to desert landscapes and provide a platform for tribal-led events and stewardship programs.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal agencies asked to support outreach — Agencies may face minor resource demands if they produce materials or host events in response to a presidential proclamation, though the resolution provides no funding.
- State and local land managers — If jurisdictions choose to implement invasive-species removal or pollinator gardens tied to the observance, they will absorb planning and implementation costs.
- Nonprofit organizations and volunteer coordinators — NGOs likely carry most operational costs for programming tied to the day, including staffing, outreach, and logistics for restoration or education events.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is symbolic recognition versus actionable support: the resolution raises profile and public awareness for desert conservation but provides no funding, delegated authority, or implementation plan—so it can inspire activity without ensuring that necessary resources or protections follow, and heightened attention could even increase stress on fragile desert ecosystems if not paired with concrete conservation measures.
The resolution blends symbolic recognition with aspirational policy language but stops short of creating enforceable commitments or funding streams. That leaves a practical gap between the stated goals—like reducing invasive plants—and the means to achieve them: no responsible agencies are named, no timelines are set, and no appropriations are authorized.
Organizations wanting to turn the observance into action will need to cobble together existing grant programs, volunteer efforts, or state and local resources.
There is also implementation ambiguity in the text. The rainfall-based definition is a simple metric but can be awkward near ecological transition zones and with climate-driven shifts in precipitation regimes.
The resolution’s encouragement of "policies that ensure the protection" of deserts is broad enough to overlap with many existing federal statutes and state authorities, raising the possibility of duplicated efforts or messaging that obscures which actions are actually needed on the ground. Finally, establishing an annual observance can increase visitation pressure in fragile areas unless outreach is paired with clear guidance on responsible recreation and restoration funding is secured.
Try it yourself.
Ask a question in plain English, or pick a topic below. Results in seconds.