What They Are Saying: The Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) introduced the Endangered Species Act Amendments of 2025.

 

“On behalf of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), I want to express our appreciation for your efforts to review and update the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The legislation is an important first step to ensuring that the ESA as it applies to the work of zoos and aquariums helps rather than hinders the critical conservation work and scientific research done by accredited aquariums, marine parks, and zoos in the U.S.” – Kathleen Dezio, president and CEO, Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

“Farmers and ranchers play an important role in conservation, and they have long called for a modernized ESA which encourages voluntary programs that focus on species recovery and respects landowners as partners in conservation. We appreciate Chairman Westerman’s work on the Endangered Species Act of 2025, which accommodates both endangered and threatened species protection and human needs.” – Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy, American Farm Bureau Federation

“The Center for Sportfishing Policy thanks Chairman Westerman for his visionary leadership in advancing much-needed reforms to the Endangered Species Act. For too long, vague and outdated statutes have allowed agencies and courts to impose policies that defy common sense and Congressional intent, creating uncertainty for conservation efforts and industries that rely on responsible resource management. This legislation brings much-needed reforms that prioritize wildlife conservation while ensuring that sound science and local expertise guide the decision-making process. We appreciate Chairman Westerman’s commitment to balancing conservation with responsible access to our natural resources.” – Jeff Angers, president, Center for Sportfishing Policy 

 

“We applaud our former DSC Bull Elephant Legislator of the Year Award recipient Chairman Bruce Westerman for his work on the ESA Amendments Act of 2025. This bill would fix several problems with the Endangered Species Act including recovery of threatened species and the conservation of species abroad while ending unnecessary red tape that has hampered DSC’s efforts to help wildlife.” – Rob McCanna, CEO, Dallas Safari Club

 

“The Endangered Species Act has been weaponized into a costly barrier for U.S. industry while also having little success in recovering species. The minerals industry firmly supports conservation and protection measures; however, it’s clear that stringent regulations don’t promote species recovery. It’s time for commonsense reform that implements practical protections while promoting greater transparency and accountability in recovering listed species. This bill seeks to do just that, and we look forward to working with Congress to ensure this bill is passed into law.” – Chris Greissing, president, Essential Minerals Association 

“The federal government’s significant presence in the Western U.S. presents unique challenges for farmers, ranchers and water managers. This is particularly true with respect to the implementation of the ESA, which impacts the management of land and water throughout the West. The Family Farm Alliance strongly supports the “ESA Amendments Act of 2025”, which modernizes the ESA and its implementing regulations to provide clearer direction to the federal agencies in applying and enforcing the law. We thank Chairman Westerman for his leadership on this important bill.” – Dan Keppen, executive director, Family Farm Alliance

 

“The Forest Landowners Association commends Chairman Westerman for introducing the ESA Amendments Act of 2025. Regulatory certainty and flexibility is critical for landowners to keep their working forests working, and the Endangered Species Act often presents a road block for beneficial forest management. This bill would provide much needed modernization to the ESA to incentivize species recovery and collaborative conservation on private lands while recognizing the host of environmental and economic benefits that working forests provide. We look forward to working with Congressional leadership to streamline the ESA in a way that increases transparency and helps to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes on the ground.” – Scott Jones, CEO, Forest Landowners Association

 

“NAHB commends Chairman Westerman for introducing the ESA Amendments of 2025, legislation that would modernize, clarify and reorient the Endangered Species Act (ESA) closer towards Congress’s original intent. Specifically, the bill would conserve endangered and threatened species, including areas designated as critical habitat, while ensuring that federal regulators who implement the ESA work together with states, local governments and private landowners to resolve land use and or natural resources issues in a collaborative manner. While NAHB members support the goals of the ESA, Westerman’s bill will improve the act by helping to reduce ESA’s unnecessarily burdensome regulatory process, lower the threat of third-party procedural litigation, and ease barriers to constructing new housing for American families.” – Buddy Hughes, chairman, National Association of Home Builders

 

“The ESA was created with the best of intentions but over the years it has morphed into a draconian law that is used to punish ranchers more than it is used for recovering listed species. This has allowed frivolous litigation to skyrocket and politically motivated species listings of recovered predator species to run rampant. The ESA Amendments Act will help bring the ESA back to its original goal of wildlife conservation and will encourage agencies to increase partnerships with producers, not punishments. Currently, the regulatory burden caused by ESA red tape is preventing cattle producers from carrying out voluntary conservation work needed to maintain America’s rangelands and create robust habitat for wildlife. This bill will streamline ESA processes and have them work at the speed of commerce once again. NCBA thanks Chairman Westerman for championing this bill to make commonsense changes to burdensome ESA regulations that will greatly benefit U.S. cattle producers.” – Garrett Edmonds, director of government affairs, National Cattleman’s Beef Association 

 

“The National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition (NESARC) applauds the introduction of the ESA Amendments Act of 2025 and expresses gratitude to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Westerman for developing legislation that will offer overdue improvements to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For over 50 years, the ESA has been one of our nation’s strongest environmental laws. While the original intent of the ESA was to conserve and protect American species of plants and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, the law has been increasingly used to block projects and to deter the legal use of privately owned land. NESARC and its members are committed to promoting effective and balanced legislative and regulatory improvements to the ESA that support the protection of fish, wildlife, and plant populations as well as responsible land, water, and resource management. NESARC looks forward to continuing to work with the champions of this measure as it moves through the legislative process.” – National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition

 

“Thank you, Chairman Westerman, for addressing the concerns of NHA’s members with the introduction of this bill — one that enshrines long-overdue fixes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). While this landmark law performs a critical role in protecting our environment, the ESA has been utilized in bad faith to ignore congressional intent while creating detrimental and unnecessary delays in the relicensing of existing hydro facilities, as well as the licensing of new facilities needed to meet growing energy demand. Hydropower is defined by innovations like species passage through-and-around facilities and its ability to provide reliable electricity for all Americans; the resource’s role in environmental stewardship is critical, and it is why NHA applauds this legislation. We urge Congress to pass it quickly.” – Michael Purdie, director or regulatory affairs and markets, National Hydropower Association 

 

“Species protection and habitat recovery can advance alongside responsible resource development. The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 strikes a balance between the increasing need for transparency and accountability of recovery programs, all while providing a pathway to prioritize conservation activities, including those on private lands. This legislation is the result of valuable work by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and his continued engagement with a broad range of interested stakeholders.” – Richard M. Russell, senior vice president of government and political affairs, National Mining Association

“NRECA applauds the introduction of the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, which takes significant steps in modernizing endangered species protection by improving certainty, transparency, and accountability in the ESA regulatory process. Electric cooperatives are dedicated stewards of their environments, but bear the brunt of expanding agency overreach and navigating a complex regulatory landscape. We appreciate Chairman Westerman’s commitment to ensuring electric co-ops can protect the nation’s natural resources while providing responsible, reliable, and affordable power to America’s rural communities.” – Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

 

“The National Water Resources Association (NWRA) supports Chairman Bruce Westerman’s ESA Amendments Act of 2025 and believes it is a common-sense approach to balancing species protection with responsible water management. By cutting red tape, improving accountability, and encouraging local solutions, it enhances both conservation and water reliability.” – Greg Morrison, executive vice president, National Water Resources Association

 

“Our members pride themselves on being good stewards of the waterfront and believe species can coexist with navigation infrastructure. This legislation will clarify the environmental baseline and address mitigation issues that have been challenging for permitting vital port maintenance and other economic development projects in our region.” – Neil Maunu, executive director, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association 

 

“Since it was passed into law over 50 years ago, the ESA has become a tool to block conservation on working lands, putting livestock producers’ personal safety and economic stability at risk. The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 will help protect the efficient operation of farms and ranches across the country and restore the ESA’s place as an effective conservation tool, once again that empowers states and land managers to lead balanced wildlife management efforts. The Public Lands Council and ranchers across the West thank Representative Bruce Westerman and all the lawmakers supportive of this legislation to deliver significant regulatory relief to livestock producers.” – Tim Canterbury, president, Public Lands Council

 

“The ESA Amendment Act of 2025 introduces needed reforms to enhance species recovery. By giving greater flexibility to the Fish and Wildlife Service in listing decisions, streamlining permitting, and de-weaponizing litigation, we can transform the ESA into a more effective tool for protecting America’s wildlife. With only 3% of listed species recovered in 50 years, it’s time for a new approach—one that works for both wildlife and people.” – Jonathan Wood, vice president of law and policy, Policy and Environmental Research Center

 

“Five decades of case law informed by radical environmental activists has transformed the Endangered Species Act into a purgatory for wildlife. As sportsmen and women, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation takes seriously our commitment to wildlife conservation and believes we can and should do better. The ESA Amendments Act represents a positive step towards returning the ESA to its original mission, ensuring already limited resources go towards species recovery, not fighting endless court battles. RMEF thanks Chairman Westerman for his leadership on this bill.” – Kyle Weaver, president and CEO, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation 

 

“SCI commends Chair Bruce Westerman for introducing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments Act of 2025. This much-needed legislation will bring the ESA into the 21st century and simultaneously enable Congress’ original intent, especially with respect to flexibility for recovering and recovered species and encouraging foreign conservation. We strongly support the bill’s comprehensive, science-based approach to ESA reform, which aligns U.S. import-export regulations with proven conservation practices.” – Laird Hamberlin, CEO, Safari Club International

 

“The ESA has been broken for decades, hurting landowners and producers while activist lawyers profit from sue-and-settle lawsuits. Real species recovery happens when landowners, conservationists, stakeholders, and state governments collaborate. We appreciate Chairman Westerman for advancing reforms that balance conservation with productive land use.” – Aaron Johnson, vice president of public and legislative affairs, Western Energy Alliance

 

“The Zoological Association of America (ZAA) thanks Chairman Bruce Westerman for his recent proposed ESA Amendments Act of 2025. ZAA is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit zoological and wildlife organizations and our members provide millions of visitors with rewarding educational, conservation, and entertaining experiences. ZAA and its members also contribute millions of dollars to conservation efforts worldwide. Chairman Westerman understands that the primary intent of the ESA was to protect and conserve native species and not to create bureaucratic obstacles to conservation efforts of non-native species. Chairman Westerman’s amendments will restore the ESA to its original purpose and create more opportunities for zoos and aquariums to engage in their valuable ex-situ conservation efforts.” – Dr. Kelly George, executive director, Zoological Association of America