Charleston Leader

U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, have announced the unanimous Senate passage of the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver (WILD) Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to reauthorize the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, which facilitates wildlife and habitat conservation across all 50 states and territories. It also extends support to the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, aiding global conservation efforts for species such as rhinos, elephants, tigers, great apes, and turtles. The bill now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“By passing the WILD Act, the Senate advanced the reauthorization of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program that supports our conservation and habitat restoration efforts throughout the country, including West Virginia in the Chesapeake Bay watershed region. I appreciate Chairman Carper for leading on this legislation with me as we help strengthen conservation and wildlife programs in America and around the world,” said Ranking Member Capito.

“Across our nation and around the world, climate change and habitat loss are threatening wildlife,” stated Chairman Carper. “The bipartisan WILD Act tackles these threats head-on by enabling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to promote voluntary conservation efforts. Additionally, this legislation helps to ensure the United States remains a global leader in protecting and conserving wildlife, including some of the world’s most imperiled species. I thank Senator Capito for her partnership on this important legislation and our colleagues for passing it through the Senate.”

The WILD Act has garnered support from several organizations: The Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wildlife Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Audubon Society, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy.

The full text of the legislation is available here.