Thompson Votes to Protect and Conserve America’s Wildlife and Support California Conservation Efforts

Washington – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) voted to pass H.R. 2773, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), a bipartisan conservation bill that will amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Act and provide $1.3 billion to assist in conserving, restoring and protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat in California, territories, Tribal lands, and other states across the nation. This legislation is one of the most significant investments in wildlife and habitat conservation in a generation.

“The need for wildlife conservation efforts in the United States is more pressing than ever as climate change, invasive species, and habitat loss puts many species at an increased risk of extinction,” said Thompson. “The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will protect our endangered species and make conservation efforts more efficient. By funding State Wildlife Action Plans and other wildlife conservation and habitat restoration activities, we will take direct action to address the conservation crisis. As an outdoorsman, protecting wildlife and their habitats is personal, and I am proud to support these efforts to combat climate change and preserve our beautiful flora and fauna for future generations to come.”

Included in RAWA is $57 million for California to help manage fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would:

• Provide Tribes critical funding for wildlife conservation. RAWA provides a $97.5 million annual non-competitive Tribal Wildlife Conservation and Restoration grant program to assist Tribes in carrying out wildlife conservation and habitat restoration efforts.
• Protect threatened and endangered species. At least 15% of RAWA funding must be spent on species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act or are considered threatened or endangered under Tribal law.
• Make wildlife conservation more effective and cost-efficient. RAWA funding will help states, territories, and Tribes put conservation measures in place for species before they become threatened or endangered, making species protection less difficult and less costly. RAWA will also provide much-needed funding for non-hunted species.
• Address climate change by building more resilient ecosystems. State Wildlife Action Plans often include habitat restoration projects (e.g., removing invasive species, fighting wildlife disease) that simultaneously benefit forest, watershed, and coastal health. These improvements help make ecosystems more resilient to severe weather events caused by climate change, including wildfires, hurricanes, and drought.
• Boost the outdoor economy. By supporting wildlife conservation, RAWA funds will boost our $887 billion outdoor economy, which already supports over 7.6 million jobs and is fueled by more than 100 million American wildlife enthusiasts, hunters, anglers, birders, and hikers. A portion of the funds will also support wildlife education.

A fact sheet on the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act can be found here.