The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday afternoon to protect wildlife on the brink of extinction by supporting an amendment in the Interior and Environment spending bill to uphold safeguards for endangered species. Mike Daulton - Vice President of Government Relations for Audubon, said, “In the midst of an historic assault on the environment in the House of Representatives, we were reminded of the value and power of the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act is one of America’s most successful conservation laws, which has been a critical safety net for species on the brink of extinction and recovered America’s symbol the Bald Eagle.”

“This historic vote demonstrates the strong support that exists for protecting our nation’s most imperiled wildlife.  We applaud the 224 members of Congress who supported the amendment sponsored by Representatives Norm Dicks (D-WA), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) striking language from the Interior and Environment bill that would have dismantled endangered species protections."

“Without the amendment, this bill would have crippled the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and driven imperiled plants and animals to extinction. Passage of the amendment brings hope that both parties ultimately will reject extremist assaults on America’s great natural heritage.”