Bad amendments, known as policy riders, to annual federal spending bills would undermine efforts to preserve America’s natural resources and protect vulnerable and endangered species. Take action and urge Congress to oppose them.

Birds tell us that we must do more to invest in their future and ours. However, the bills would cut investment in the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, and other federal agencies charged with protecting our environment—and take unprecedented steps to stop enforcement of environmental protections and to prevent science-based decisions for vulnerable and endangered species.

One species being purposefully targeted in this legislation is the Greater Sage-Grouse. If passed, the policy riders would prevent the grouse from ever becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act, even if their populations reach critically low levels. The riders also prevent the Bureau of Land Management from finalizing plans to conserve grouse habitat on public lands. Given that the majority of the Greater-Sage Grouse’s habitat is on public lands, this would worsen the steep decline of this iconic species. 

The funding cuts to federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, would threaten jobs and harm communities that rely on the outdoor recreation economy. Proposed cuts to the Department of the Interior would undermine bedrock laws like the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Urge your U.S. Representative and Senators to oppose funding cuts and bad environmental policy riders, and to advance appropriations bills that uphold bedrock conservation laws.