The Gould’s wild turkey is the least abundant subspecies of wild turkey. Through collaborative conservation, the subspecies was recently delisted from the threatened and endangered species list in New Mexico. RAWA would facilitate proactive conservation to prevent wildlife species from being listed.)
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., reintroduced the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. This legislation invests in proactive, on-the-ground conservation work led by states, territories and tribal nations to support the long-term health of fish and wildlife and their habitat across America. These locally-driven, science-based strategies would restore species with the greatest conservation need.
“The passage of RAWA would drive the conservation of our beloved natural resources at an unprecedented scale,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “The NWTF commends Senators Heinrich and Tillis for their bipartisan work and bringing this important piece of legislation back to the forefront of Congress, and we look forward to bringing this landmark bill into law in the very near future.”
RAWA would amend the Pittman-Robertson Act to direct a guaranteed appropriation of nearly $1.4 billion for states and tribes to recover vulnerable species.
After a tremendous, multi-year effort in 2022, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act came very close to passing but negotiations for a funding source fell apart at the last minute. RAWA would supplement current Pittman-Robertson funding, not replace it, allowing the dollars derived through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment to remain focused on game species conservation, hunter recruitment and access, as well as shooting range development. In 2021, these taxes generated $1.1 billion for state conservation efforts, maintaining the status of the shooting and hunting community as America’s most stalwart conservation heroes.
Natural resource conservation was one of the biggest winners of the 117th Congress with strong bipartisan support, showing that natural resources and wildlife conservation are unifying topics that bring both sides of the aisle to the table. As the 118th Congress ramps up, natural resources continue to be a meeting ground for bipartisan work.
“Over the past few years, the outdoors has proven to be a real uniting force in Congress,” Heinrich said. “I’m proud of the momentum and widespread bipartisan support we built with Senator Blunt last Congress, and I look forward to doing the same with Senator Tillis as we work to move this bill across the finish line.
“Without enough resources, state and tribal wildlife agencies have been forced to pick and choose which species are worth saving. Instead of doing the proactive work that is necessary to maintain healthy wildlife populations on the front end, they have been forced into using reactive measures to rescue species after they are listed as threatened or endangered. We urgently need to change this paradigm and save thousands of species with a solution that matches the magnitude of the challenge. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act offers us a constructive path forward. Passing RAWA into law will mean our grandchildren will be able to experience the same rich and abundant American wildlife — from bumblebees to bison — that we have been so lucky to grow up with.”
Tillis added, “Congress has a long history of being champions of conservation efforts in the U.S. to protect our unmatched landscape and wildlife population. Today, we are facing another crisis with too many fish and wildlife being placed on the endangered species list, negatively impacting businesses, farmers and landowners. This situation must be avoided at all costs, and RAWA gives state and tribal wildlife commissions the tools needed to perform proactive, on-the-ground conservation to prevent threatened species from becoming endangered. This is the first step in a long road to build consensus, and I look forward to partnering with Senator Heinrich and my colleagues in Congress to work on this legislation so we can avoid those situations and keep more fish and wildlife off the endangered species list, saving tens of millions of dollars in compliance costs for Americans, and protect our country’s rich natural resources.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has conserved or enhanced over 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to drive wildlife conservation, forest resiliency and robust recreational opportunities throughout the U.S. by working across boundaries on a landscape scale.
2023 is the NWTF’s 50th anniversary and an opportunity to propel the organization’s mission into the future while honoring its rich history. For its 50th anniversary, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and NWTF’s people; and raise $5 million to build toward a $50 million endowment for the future. Learn how you can help us reach these lofty goals.
National Wild Turkey Federation
PO Box 530
Edgefield South Carolina 29824
United States
For more information, contact Pete Muller at (803) 637-7698 or pmuller@nwtf.net
