In a major win for wildlife conservation and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. House of Representatives has once again rejected an amendment that would have carved out a broad exemption for the Department of Defense and its contractors from complying with the ESA.
For the third year in a row, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced a controversial proposal, Amendment 781 to H.R. 3838, the National Defense Authorization Act, seeking to exempt defense-related activities from key protections under the ESA. This year, the House voted it down by a margin of 200-228, marking a clear and continued bipartisan refusal to weaken one of the nation’s most vital conservation laws.
If passed, the amendment would have stripped endangered species protections from more than 27 million acres of land managed by the Department of Defense across 338 military installations, land that currently serves as a safe haven for over 400 species listed as threatened or endangered.
More than 80 organizations sent a letter to the House strongly opposing the Biggs amendment and outlining the devastating consequences it would have for endangered species and critical habitats.
The proposed changes would have gone far beyond merely cutting red tape. Among other provisions, the amendment would have:
• Blocked the designation of any critical habitat on military or defense contractor lands if the Secretary of Defense deemed it necessary for operations.
• Exempted the Defense Department from consulting with wildlife experts to ensure its actions don’t threaten species’ survival or destroy critical habitats.
• Allowed military personnel and contractors to bypass longstanding ESA protections that prevent the killing, harming, or harassment of endangered species.
Despite repeated claims that the ESA interferes with national defense, there is no evidence to support that assertion. In fact, the Department of Defense has long collaborated with wildlife agencies under existing law to meet both conservation and readiness goals.
The defeat of the Biggs amendment is a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting the Endangered Species Act, and the public’s deep support for it. As the extinction crisis accelerates globally, laws like the ESA are more critical than ever in preventing the disappearance of iconic and ecologically vital species.
WAN applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for once again standing up for wildlife and calls on Congress to continue safeguarding the Endangered Species Act, which is the nation’s most powerful defense for preventing extinction.
