WASHINGTON, DC – Conservation of our nation’s wildlife may see a dramatic boost thanks to a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives July 12th by Representatives Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI). The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 3742) was introduced with bipartisan support to devote additional money to wildlife conservation throughout the U.S.

Dingell and Fortenberry first introduced the bill in 2017 based on a recommendation from a panel of conservation and business leaders. The Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources, a group of national business and conservation leaders co-chaired by Bass Pro Shops founder John L. Morris and former Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal, convened in 2015 to recommend a new mechanism to sustainably fund fish and wildlife conservation.

If passed, the bill would dedicate $1.3 billion annually to state fish and wildlife agencies to implement their science-based wildlife action plans and an additional $97.5 million for tribal fish and wildlife managers to conserve fish and wildlife on tribal lands and waters. This will provide dedicated funding, so state and tribal wildlife managers can proactively conserve fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need in a voluntary, non-regulatory manner before federal listing under the Endangered Species Act is warranted.     MORE