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Threats to the Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act is a safety net for wildlife, fish, and plants that are on the brink of extinction.  When other environmental laws have not provided enough protection, the Endangered Species Act is there to give threatened or endangered species one last chance to survive.  Of the 1800 species protected by the law, only nine species have been declared extinct—an impressive achievement.  The safety net saved our majestic national symbol, the bald eagle, and the peregrine falcon.  It is saving the Florida manatee, the grizzly bear, the southern sea otter, sea turtles, and many other animals and plants. 

On Thursday, September 29th, 2005, a bill that would gut critical protections of the Endangered Species Act (H.R. 3824), introduced by Congressman Richard Pombo (R-CA), passed with a vote of 229-193.  See vote here ->>

House Democrats overwhelmingly opposed HR. 3824 and offered a common sense alternative which failed on a party-line vote, 206-216.  The alternative offered responsible solutions to the challenges of reconciling conservation and development without dismantling the Endangered Species Act.  See vote here ->>

Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973 because it recognized that we owe it to our children and grandchildren to be good stewards of the environment and leave behind a legacy of protecting endangered wildlife and the special places they call home.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

  • 99% of the species ever listed on the Endangered Species list have been saved from extinction.
  • More than two-thirds of all the species currently listed are improving. Past successes show that the longer a species remains protected, the more likely it is to survive.
  • Despite all of this success at a relatively low cost to the government and the American taxpayer, this HR. 3824 seeks to weaken the Endangered Species Act.

    See why 80 organizations oppose legislation to weaken the Endangered Species Act

Learn more

Introduction to ESA Fact Sheet

Get the Facts on H.R. 3824

Regional Information


Northeast

Southeast

West

Southwest

Democrats on the Endangered Species Act

Nancy Pelosi square Leader Pelosi: “The Endangered Species Act is a safety net for wildlife, fish, and plants that are on the brink of extinction.  When other environmental laws have not provided enough protection, the Endangered Species Act is there to give endangered species one last chance to survive."  More...

MillerRep. Miller (D-CA): "Once again, this House, under extreme Republican leadership, rejected a sensible and bipartisan alternative that would have ensured the timely recovery of threatened and endangered species in a way that would have been workable for private landowners. This action will produce harmful consequences for taxpayers and devastating consequences for endangered animals, fish, and plants."  More...

BlumenauerRep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)  "It’s not about just the species that have been restored, but it’s the protection that has been extended across America to make it possible that we are not losing environmental ground."  More...


RahallRep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV)  "As people of faith, as I am sure we all are, we should acknowledge these words from Ecclesiastes: 'Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.  All have the same breath.'"  More...

 



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