Washington, D.C. — Eight members of Congress will be recognized today by leading national conservation groups, including Born Free USA, for their critical role in protecting the Endangered Species Act. The “Champions of the Endangered Species Act” reception will feature former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and honor Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and House members Don Beyer (D-VA), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Betty McCollum (D-MN), and Niki Tsongas (D-MA).[teaserbreak]
The honorees will be recognized by the Animal Welfare Institute, Audubon, Born Free USA, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Defense Fund, League of Conservation Voters, Native Plant Conservation Campaign, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, WildEarth Guardians, and Wildlands Network.
The groups jointly issued the following statement: “We celebrate and honor these conservation leaders whose vision and leadership has created a legacy of immeasurable benefit to our environment, to our nation’s most imperiled wildlife, and to our communities. Their tireless support for wildlife is vital as powerful special interests continue efforts to weaken or eliminate the Endangered Species Act and other bedrock conservation laws grounded in science.”
The Endangered Species Act is more at risk today than ever before, as members of Congress continue to push legislative agendas designed to undermine the Act, threatening public lands and iconic wildlife. Collectively, the legislative attacks on the Endangered Species Act introduced by this Congress represent the most sweeping attacks since the landmark conservation law was passed 43 years ago.
The repeated attacks come despite strong public support for the Endangered Species Act. A July 2015 poll found that 90 percent of U.S. voters support the Endangered Species Act, affirming similar findings from previous polls over the last decade.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation”: the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son, Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, TheRodiCompany@gmail.com