The ESA is responsible for preventing the extinction of 99 percent of listed species, including such iconic American species as the bald eagle, the gray wolf, and the grizzly bear. The ESA also enjoys the support of some 90 percent of American voters, making this law not only extremely effective, but also extremely popular.
Despite the ESA’s effectiveness and popularity, it is under constant assault by lawmakers who seek to weaken and undermine it. There have been over 300 direct attacks on the ESA since 1996 (as of February 2018). These attacks take numerous forms, including anti-ESA decisions and actions by Federal agencies, proposed anti-ESA legislation, and legislative “riders,” which add anti-ESA provisions to bills. Under the 115th U.S. Congress (2017 – 2019), there have been numerous bills aimed at weakening the ESA. Additionally, in 2017 the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a report, which prioritized U.S. energy production over the ESA and conservation.
“The protection and preservation of wildlife is a stewardship responsibility that we owe to future generations to come. That is why the Endangered Species Act is an enormous point of pride for our country. It has been a ‘wild success,’ but as we know, in far too many places in our own country and around the world today, wildlife and their habitats are threatened.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton, November 13, 2013.
October 25, 2018
October 18, 2018
