For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

The House of Representatives passed a bill today that would end a government shutdown over President Trump’s demand that Americans pay for his ill-conceived wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill would put federal workers back to work and reopen government services. Federal employees play a vital role in the conservation and recovery of wildlife and their habitat nationwide.

Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations, Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:

“House Democratic leaders have taken responsible action to reopen the federal government, without giving in to President Trump’s demands to build more, expensive, destructive and unnecessary border wall. Now it’s up to the Senate. The Senate must act in the nation’s interest in funding our government, while standing strong against the president’s demands for more border wall funding.”

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.  

 

Media Contact

News

Image
Stefan Ekernas
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Stefan Ekernas as New Vice President of Species Conservation & Coexistence

Defenders of Wildlife is proud to announce Stephan Ekernas as its new Vice President of Species Conservation and Coexistence, where he will oversee Defenders’ field conservation programs.
Image
brown bear
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Trump Administration Opens Door to Bear Baiting, Den Hunting in Alaska Preserves

The National Park Service finalized a regulation that abdicates the agency's responsibility to manage wildlife in Alaska's national preserves, deferring instead to state regulations. Defenders of Wildlife condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.