The GOP Leadership in the House of Representatives today pulled its scheduled vote on Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) ESA Amendments Act of 2025 — more aptly called the Extinction Act. The legislation is one of the most extreme attempts to undermine the ESA to date and has the potential to push us closer to a sixth mass extinction. Mary Beth Beetham, legislative director of Defenders of Wildlife, released the following statement in response:
“Now we can really celebrate Earth Day! The public defeat of the Westerman bill is a direct result of sustained constituent pressure. Congress is finally listening to the majority of Americans who support the Endangered Species Act, rather than centering politics and money in its policy decisions. The decision to not advance the vote keeps current safeguards in place, which have protected 99% of species from extinction. While there is still much more work to secure lasting protections for wildlife, today’s outcome is a meaningful victory for conservation.”
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For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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