Boebert Wolf Bill Passes the House
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s and Congressman Tom Tiffany’s bill to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List, the Trust the Science Act, passed the House as part of the Interior Appropriations Bill.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) said, “The science is crystal clear on this issue: gray wolves should no longer be on the endangered species list. The constant back-and-forth on this matter goes against the best available science. We can no longer put farmers and ranchers in harm’s way by using taxpayer dollars to protect a species that has been fully recovered and that is destroying their livestock. It is time for the federal government to get out of the way and allow state and tribal wildlife agencies to manage this species.”
Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) said, “Farmers, sportsmen, and pet owners have had to deal with the consequences of an unmanaged gray wolf population for far too long. The gray wolf has clearly recovered, and the House-passed Interior Appropriations bill is a step in the right direction to delist and manage the gray wolf.”
Background:
TheTrust the Science Act successfully passed the House as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States through a process that included the best science and data available. At over 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act success story with significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions.
The Trust the Science Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States.
Additional Background:
In February, Congresswoman Boebert and Congressman Tiffany led 22 Members of Congress in introducing the Trust the Science Act to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. Soon after its introduction, the bill passed through the House Natural Resources Committee with a recorded vote of 21-16.
Sec. 452. of the Interior Appropriations Bill states: Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall reissue the final rule entitled “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife”.
The inclusion of this provision in the final bill marks a significant victory for farmers and ranchers across the country who have been suffering attacks on their livestock by taxpayer-protected, violent species like gray wolves.
Stakeholders that have supported the Trust the Science Act in the 117th Congress or the 118th Congress include:
Alaska Farm Bureau Federation, BigGame Forever, Colorado Cattlemen's Association, Colorado Conservation Alliance, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Wool Growers Association, Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties for Stable Economic Growth, Douglas Creek Conservation District, FreedomWorks, Hunter Nation, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, IOTR-International Order of T. Roosevelt, Mid States Wool Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, National Rifle Association (NRA), New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, New Mexico Wool Growers Inc., Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Rio Blanco County Commissioners, Rio Blanco County Farm Bureau, Safari Club International (SCI), Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association, Washington Farm Bureau, Washington State Hunter Heritage Council, Western Caucus, White River Conservation District, Wisconsin Cattleman’s Association, and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.
The full text of the Trust the Science Act is available here.