ConservAmerica Urges Senate Committee to Move Forward with RAWA Mark-Up

ConservAmerica sent a letter today urging the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to move ahead with mark-up of S.2372, Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA).

Helping to reform, strengthen, and improve the protection and recovery of species ranks among ConservAmerica’s highest priorities. RAWA is bipartisan legislation that would amend the Wildlife Restoration Act to invest an additional $1.3 billion per year for states and territories to implement their Wildlife Action Plans and $97.5 million for tribal wildlife conservation efforts.

Species are best protected when the federal-state relationship is strong, and federal, state, local governments, and landowners work together to achieve a common goal. While Congress mandated that state fish and wildlife agencies develop State Wildlife Action Plans to protect wildlife, it has never fully funded their implementation. By providing stable and consistent funding, RAWA would live up to the vision of the Wildlife Restoration Act by strengthening the federal-state partnership that is essential not only for species recovery but also for keeping species from being listed in the first place.

The letter to Chairman Tom Carper and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito can be found here.

ConservAmerica applauds Senators Martin Heinrich and Roy Blunt, the lead sponsors, and their staffs for their hard work on this legislation and urges the Committee to move forward with its consideration.