Recovering America’s Wildlife Act:
A 21st Century Model of Wildlife Conservation Funding
State and tribal wildlife agency professionals and their partners work tirelessly on the conservation and management of wildlife populations for the benefit of all. A bill that would match this ethic with adequate financial support is in line for movement this Congress.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 3742), introduced by Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska), would provide $1.4 billion in dedicated annual funding to state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies. This funding would go towards the conservation and monitoring of at-risk species, known in states as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), in order to work towards reversing population declines. Since introduction in July 2019, this legislation has seen over 180 bipartisan cosponsors.
What’s at stake
Since 2000, state and tribal wildlife agencies have pulled from a much smaller funding stream known as the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program. This program is vulnerable to the whims of congressional appropriators each year, and is typically only funded at about $60 million annually. Such limited funding only provides state agencies with the ability to address a few of the SGCN-related projects deemed necessary within their conservation action blueprints, known as State Wildlife Action Plans. This problem is amplified in tribal agencies, where no fund exists that agencies can utilize annually for long-term conservation planning.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act aims to drastically change this dynamic. This legislation would:
How TWS members can help
TWS chapters and sections can:
TWS members can:
Please email cmurphy@wildlife.org to share any action you have taken on behalf of TWS or if you have any questions on how to take action.
See below for our relevant coverage:
“Recovering America’s Wildlife Act passes House” Posted 07/08/2020
“T-shirts campaign supports Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted 04/24/2020
“Committee approves Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted 12/11/2019
“Recovering America’s Wildlife Act surpasses 150 co-sponsors” Posted 11/19/2019
“Scientists support Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted 10/22/2019
“Coalition rallies around Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted 8/1/2019
“TWS backs reintroduced Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted 7/12/2019
“TWS thanks House subcommittee for discussing biodiversity loss” Posted 6/5/2019
“115th Congress ends without federal budget, LWCF, RAWA” Posted 1/3/2019
“Texas student chapters engage on RAWA” Posted 12/28/2018
“TWS advises Senate committee considering wildlife funding” Posted 11/20/2018
“Recovering America’s Wildlife Act reaches 100 co-sponsors” Posted 10/1/2018
“Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Introduced in Senate” Posted 7/18/2018
“TWS co-hosts briefing to promote conservation” Posted on 06/28/2018
“America’s declining wildlife requires a proactive solution, report says” Posted on 03/29/2018
“Combined efforts raise support for Recovering America’s Wildlife Act” Posted on 03/23/2018
“TWS submits testimony on two wildlife funding bills” Posted on 02/22/2018
“Recovering America’s Wildlife Act legislation reintroduced” Posted on 12/15/2017
“TWS Conservation Affairs Network reports on leading policy issues” Posted on 10/21/2016
“$1.3 Billion wildlife funding bill introduced in House of Representatives” Posted on 07/11/2016
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