House to Vote on Gutting Bedrock Endangered Species Act

As the nation celebrates Earth Day this week, the House of Representatives will cast an historic vote on a bill to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, which was enacted more than 50 years ago to protect America's wildlife from extinction. The vehicle for this vote is Rep. Westerman's (R-AR) H.R. 1897, the Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. Defenders of Wildlife is leading the opposition to this dangerous attack and has marshalled more than 275 organizations in calling on the House to vote down H.R. 1897. This legislation is unequivocally the most extreme attempt yet to undo core elements of the Endangered Species Act and threatens everything from beloved Florida manatees to black-footed ferrets by inserting politics into decision making and elevating the interests of extractive industries over the use of the best available science.

"Shameless attempts by some Members of Congress to dismantle the Endangered Species Act demonstrate a profound disregard for how valuable this law is to wildlife conservation," said Mary Beth Beetham, director of legislation at Defenders of Wildlife. "The Endangered Species Act isn't just rhetoric - it's proven effective and has safeguarded imperiled species for more than 50 years. This bill could be the driving force behind future extinctions and would set a dangerous precedent for wildlife legislation moving forward."

• Among other sweeping changes, the ESA Amendments Act would:
• Narrow the consultations that limit harm from federal projects to listed species - potentially to the point of making them meaningless.
• Weaken safeguards for the "take permits" that allow harm/killing of listed species.
• Dramatically extend the timeline for listing decisions while imperiled species continue to decline - even to the point of overwriting court-ordered deadlines.
• Warp science-based decision making by elevating consideration of state and locally submitted data, regardless of its quality.
• Risks vastly expanding the use of exemptions under the God Squad.
• Erode public accountability in wildlife management.

The ESA has long enjoyed bipartisan support among the public. Polling consistently shows that 84% of Americans support the ESA - they recognize its role in protecting the animals they love, as well as its importance in maintaining ecosystems vital to fishing, farming and tourism. Amending the ESA would not only threaten imperiled wildlife but also have rippling effects on our natural heritage and the economy.

"Protecting the nation's wildlife and habitats has never been an issue of right or left - it is a shared value and a commitment to future generations," said Cassie Ferri, legislative analyst at Defenders of Wildlife. "Instead of honoring Earth Day, Congress is turning it into "Destroy Earth Day" by attempting to dismantle one of our nation's most foundational conservation laws. We all depend on healthy ecosystems to thrive, and the vast majority of Americans want to preserve wildlife through a strong Endangered Species Act - yet time and again Congress blatantly disregards their voices."

Since its enactment, the ESA has saved iconic species such as the bald eagle, humpback whale, multiple species of sea turtles and many other endangered species from extinction.

Defenders of Wildlife calls on the House of Representatives to reject Rep. Westerman's bill and to stand up for America's wildlife and wild places.

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For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroomor follow us on X @Defenders.

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