A renewed push for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act faces competition

The outcome of these legislative efforts is crucial for ensuring the protection and recovery of thousands of at-risk species across the U.S.

Erin X. Wong reports for High Country News.

In short:

• The Recovering America's Wildlife Act (RAWA) aims to secure substantial annual funding for U.S. wildlife agencies and tribal nations, promoting extensive conservation efforts.
• A competing bill in the U.S Senate, America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, has different funding strategies and amendments, affecting conservation approaches and federal budgets.
• Both bills highlight the complexity and urgency of funding conservation efforts, with RAWA gaining broad bipartisan support while facing challenges in securing a stable funding source.

Key quote:

"We got to the point where we just got more and more co-sponsors. Everybody came together and said, ‘This looks like a durable solution’."

— Glenn Olson, chair of bird conservation and public policy at the National Audubon Society.

Why this matters:

Legislation to enhance funding for wildlife conservation in the U.S. affects biodiversity and ecosystem stability across the country. Read more: The health of wildlife is inseparable from our own.