Senate Rejects Damaging Amendment, Protects Endangered Species Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:  January 21, 2015

Contact: Melanie Gade, mgade@defenders.org (202) 772-0288

Senate Rejects Damaging Amendment, Protects Endangered Species Act

WASHINGTON – Today the Senate voted down an amendment, sponsored by Mike Lee (UT), to the Keystone pipeline bill that would have restricted citizens’ access to the courts and curtailed their ability to hold the government accountable when it fails to properly enforce the Endangered Species Act.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former Defenders of Wildlife's President and CEO issued the following statement:

“Today, in one of the first votes of this new Congress, the Senate voted to affirm the integrity of the Endangered Species Act. By rejecting the Lee amendment, the Senate ensured that all citizens will retain the ability to hold the government accountable when its actions threaten America’s imperiled wildlife. We applaud those Senators who stood strong in the face of this attempt to undermine the integrity of one of this nation’s bedrock conservation laws.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @defendersnews.