Monumental Wildlife Bill Passes U.S. House, Advances to Senate Thanks to Idaho Representative

While Congress takes a recess from Washington D.C. and many of us take our own recess from our busy lives via a relaxing or adventure filled vacation, there are many ways to create the political will and climate for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act! We want Recovering America's Wildlife Act to be the next big, bold action taken by the Senate in September.

As the Idaho Wildlife Federation announced on June 14th, the United States House of Representatives voted- on a bipartisan basis- to pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, a once-in-a-generation bill that would dedicate $1.4 billion annually to reverse extinction trends for at–risk wildlife species.

Idaho Wildlife Federation would like to thank Representative Mike Simpson for his continued championing of this crucial bill - aimed at restoring more than one-third of America’s wildlife species that are already facing an elevated risk of extinction. 

Recovering America’s WIldlife Act would provide Idaho Fish and Game with $17 million a year for actions such as improving forest resilience, restoring rivers and addressing invasive species to help recover 205 wildlife in-state  species. This consistent, reliable funding allows for Idaho Fish and Game to continuously provide the long-term restorative work necessary for species of greatest conservation need. Historically, sportsmen - through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingle-Johnson Acts - have been the only funding source for state agencies outside hunting/fishing license sales, but this funding is not enough as species populations continue to decline. This shot-in-the-arm for agencies would allow for funding of crucial restoration projects while diversifying funding that will avoid market downturns that PR and DJ funding are vulnerable to.

Not to mention: it isn’t only sportsmen and/or wildlife advocates supporting this landmark bill. RAWA has received significant support from the business sector. Even oil companies support it, understanding that continued wildlife declines will lead to burdensome regulations for their operations. 

RAWA funding will also benefit private landowners across the country. “RAWA invites private landowners to participate in conservation efforts rather than requiring them to sacrifice their property rights and bear the additional cost burdens of federal regulation. As such, it recognizes the importance of private lands in sustaining wildlife,” ConservAmerica President Jeff Kupfer and board member Andy Sabin said in an opinion piece titled The Conservative Case for RAWA for InsideSources on June 16.

The next step for the bill is a vote in the Senate. The Senate version has 35 cosponsors, nearly half of them Republicans.

Idaho WIldlife Federation encourages you to write to Idaho Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo using the form below to let them know you support and want them to pass this landmark legislation.