Republicans Release Bills To Effectively Dismantle Endangered Species Protections

Washington, DC-- Today, the House Western Caucus introduced nine bills, all of which would effectively dismantle the Endangered Species Act. Taken together, the bills impede citizen involvement in species protections, significantly limit opportunities for listing and undermine the sound science needed for effective wildlife management. This better known House “extinction package” doubles down on Sen. Barrasso’s bill introduced last week that would also weaken the ESA.

In response, Jordan Giaconia, Sierra Club federal policy associate, issued the following statement:

“Anti-public lands and anti-wildlife Republicans in Congress can not stop with their dangerous agenda to get rid of one of the most effective environmental laws in American history, the Endangered Species Act. But what's concerning now is that the introduction of these bills could be one of the most destructive we’ve ever seen. This ‘extinction package’ would remove science from wildlife management policies, essentially nix citizen input and launch several other attacks that would destroy the ESA’s effectiveness.

“We know the Endangered Species Act already allows for flexibility in protecting endangered wildlife. The law requires federal agencies to work together with state, tribal and local officials to prevent extinction. We do not need to change or undo a law that clearly works. Instead, Congress should improve the law’s implementation by fully funding recovery efforts for endangered species, not throw out essential protections for the most threatened animals in the country.”