Ricketts, Lummis, Sullivan Introduce CRAs to Overturn Biden’s Disastrous ESA Rules

May 20, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to reverse the Biden administration’s overreach on the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Biden is working to undo Trump administration reforms that increased stakeholder engagement, defined critical habitat, and ensured species recovery plans were effective. These CRAs will ensure these effective Trump-era reforms stay in place.

“Biden bureaucrats are abusing their authority to push through stifling regulations that will hurt our economy and burden private property owners,” said Ricketts. “These one-size-fits-all rules hurt landowners and refuse to take into account how they will hurt local economies. Americans are tired of ‘Bureaucrats Gone Wild.’ Our bills would overturn these rules and protect private property rights.”

“The Endangered Species Act has been a failed and flawed piece of legislation for more than 50 years. With a less than 2% recovery rate, the Trump-era reforms finally represented a real and meaningful step in the right direction,” said Lummis. “Instead of working with stakeholders out west to improve the ESA, the Biden administration chose to undo what worked and double down on what did not. Instead of placating to radical activists, the Biden administration needs to work with landowners, businesses and workers in Wyoming and throughout the west who will be hurt the most by this big government mandate.”

“The Endangered Species Act was a well-intentioned law, however, the Biden administration is enacting ESA rules to promote a radical environmental agenda, despite the devastating impacts these rules have on our economy,” said Sullivan. “Senator Lummis, Ricketts, and I have introduced three CRAs to undo these rules, rein in this federal power grab, promote science-based decision with local consultation, and halt the relentless Biden-administration war against Alaska and other rural states.”

Other co-sponsors of the resolution include Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Katie Britt (R-AL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and John Hoeven (R-ND). 

BACKGROUND:

The three Congressional Review Act resolutions aim to overturn a series of new rules put forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that undo three key reforms to the Endangered Species Act implemented by the Trump administration in 2019.