Protecting endangered species is one thing that Americans agree upon. Across the political spectrum, national surveys for over 30 years¹ have shown that between 80% and 90% of people in the U.S. strongly support the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This landmark piece of federal legislation, which protects threatened and endangered wildlife, fish, plants, and their habitats, has been “credited with saving 99% of listed species from extinction thanks to the collaborative actions of federal agencies, state, local and Tribal governments, conservation organizations and private citizens.”² The ESA protects not only species but also millions of acres of habitat: forests, beaches, rivers, and wetlands that species rely on to survive and recover. 

People want animals and their habitat to be protected, but right now, Congress is not listening.  

Despite half a century of protecting, conserving, and recovering wildlife from the brink of extinction, the ESA is under attack by the Trump Administration and Republican members of Congress. Instead of upholding the law and representing the interests of the people, Congress is prioritizing corporate interests and profit above science, the health of the planet, and the survival of endangered species. 

Since January 2025, the 119^th Congress has introduced 32 bills that aim to weaken the Endangered Species Act. From delisting vulnerable animals such as grizzly bears and gray wolves to rolling back habitat protections, opening land to fossil fuel extraction, and allowing harmful substances on protected lands—these anti-wildlife and anti-science bills are harmful to animals, the environment, and people alike.

FOUR PAWS USA is working with our coalition partners to stand up against these attacks and protect vulnerable species around the globe. But Congress needs to hear from you too!

Read more below about the specific attacks on endangered species that we are focused on and the opposition statements to these irresponsible, harmful pieces of legislation. Then contact your federal Senators and House Representative today and urge them to oppose these terrible bills that harm our planet and strip the ESA of its strength and power in protecting wildlife from extinction.   

Anti-Wildlife Riders in the 2026 Appropriations Bill  

This bill:

• Slashes funding, effectively dismantling the program that determines which plants and animals will be protected under the ESA
• Includes at least 17 anti-wildlife riders—the most policy riders ever included since the ESA was signed 50 years age
• Blocks protections for vulnerable endangered species, including: Greater sage-grouse, Lesser prairie-chicken, Northern long-eared bats, wolverines, grizzly bears, several species of freshwater mussels
• Delists Gray wolves nationwide, allowing for the massive slaughter of wolves under state allowed hunts
• Delists grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone area, allowing for cruel hunting and trapping practices
• Cuts funding for grizzly bear and bison reintroduction plans
• Prevents federal regulation of lead ammunition and tackle
• Exempts captive fish from the ESA
• Blocks expansion of important wildlife refuges
• Blocks 2024 revisions to harmful ESA regulations
• Solidifies denial of scientific evidence regarding impacts of climate change on species survival

H.R. 180, the “Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act”

This bill would undermine the use of sound science as a requirement for ESA listing decisions. It would also add burdensome and redundant procedural requirements on the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, with the goal of making it more difficult to list species as endangered.

H.R. 556—"Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025” 

This bill would prohibit the regulation of lead ammunition or tackle on certain federal lands, leading to potential lead poisoning of wildlife, including bald eagles, golden eagles, mountain lions, black bears, common loons, and the critically endangered California condor.

H.R. 281—“Grizzly Bear State Management Act”

This bill would delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, ignoring the science-based decision to protect grizzly bears and barring judicial review.

H.R.1— "One Big Beautiful Bill Act", signed into law in July 2025

This bill, which has been highly publicized for defunding healthcare coverage, giving huge tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, and boosting funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), also has provisions that are harmful for animals and the environment. The bill slashes support for renewable energy development and environmental protections, while mandating land leasing to oil, gas, mining, coal, and timber companies.

Proposed rule to rescind the definition of harm under the ESA

The Trump administration proposed a rule change that would open up protected habitat to extractive industries such as timber, oil, and mining. The change hinges on the interpretation of the word “harm.” Since the passage of the ESA in 1973, “harm” to endangered species has included harm to the habitat the animals need to survive. The current administration is claiming that “harm” only means directly hurting or killing an animal. This rule change would severely undermine the ESA and put endangered species at risk, potentially reversing fifty years of progress.

 H.R. 1897—"ESA Amendments Act" of 2025 

This bill contains numerous provisions that would drastically weaken the ESA and decrease protections for threatened and endangered species by creating loopholes, which make it easier for fossil fuel companies and corporate polluters to develop our public lands without regard for species and environmental protections.

H.R. 845—“Pet and Livestock Protection Act” of 2025

This bill, which has nothing to do with protecting pets and livestock, directs the Secretary of the Interior to delist the gray wolf, an iconic keystone species that plays a vital role in keeping America’s ecosystems healthy.

H.R. 471—“Fix our Forests Act" (FOFA)

This bill, which harms rather than fixes our forests, stifles public input, removes science from land management decisions, and thwarts what the ESA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) have done to protect healthy communities for decades. It claims to mitigate fire risk, while in reality, this bill helps the logging industry and will likely make wildfires worse. 

H.R. 839 "To prohibit the implementation of a Land Protection Plan for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge"

This bill would prohibit the expansion of the Land Protection Plan for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, which is home to the endangered lesser prairie-chicken as well as hundreds of other species. 

MMPA Reauthorization Bill 

This anti-science, pro-industry bill would eviscerate protections for marine mammals, including polar bears, whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, walruses, manatees, and sea otters.

May 2025 House Reconciliation Bill 

This bill would weaken protections for the critically endangered Rice’s whale and allow oil and gas companies to skip environmental reviews and public accountability.

 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

Proposed cuts to NOAA in this 2026 appropriations bill would put habitat restoration and sustainable restoration programs in jeopardy while also cutting National Sea Grant College programs that bring future workers into the field and National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund, which helps coastal communities prepare for and rebuild after flooding.

2026 House Appropriations bills that will defund important bird conservation programs

Proposed cuts within the 2026 House Appropriations bills for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (IERA), Department of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), and the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOP) will defund programs that help migratory birds and other wildlife.