Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon voted on Tuesday to pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), a bipartisan conservation bill that will amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Act and provide $1.3 billion to assist in conserving, restoring, and protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat across the nation. The legislation will deliver $21 million for Pennsylvania to help manage the conservation of fish and wildlife species and combat invasive species such as the spotted lanternfly. 

State, territory, and tribal governments carry out most wildlife management and conservation through their State Wildlife Action Plans, but these plans depend on consistent, reliable federal funding. Federal funding sources, like the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Act, are currently inadequate.

“We are in the midst of an unprecedented biodiversity crisis and we need action now,” said Rep. Scanlon. “The wellbeing of our planet and our communities is inextricably linked to the health of our wildlife and wild spaces. Healthy wildlife populations help our communities fight climate change by making our ecosystems like forests and shorelines more resilient against natural disasters. I’m proud to support the most significant investment in wildlife and habitat conservation in a generation to preserve Pennsylvania’s beautiful ecosystems and boost our outdoor economy.”

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will:

• Protect threatened and endangered species. At least 15% of RAWA funding must be spent on species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act or are considered threatened or endangered under tribal law.
• Make wildlife conservation more effective and cost-efficient. RAWA funding will help states, territories, and tribes put conservation measures in place for species before they become threatened or endangered, making species protection less difficult and less costly. RAWA will also provide much-needed funding for non-hunted species. 
• Address climate change by building more resilient ecosystems. State Wildlife Action Plans often include habitat restoration projects (e.g., removing invasive species, fighting wildlife disease) that simultaneously benefit forest, watershed, and coastal health. These improvements help make ecosystems more resilient to severe weather events caused by climate change, including wildfires, hurricanes, and drought. 
• Boost the outdoor economy. By supporting wildlife conservation, RAWA funds will boost our $887 billion outdoor economy, which already supports over 7.6 million jobs and is fueled by more than 100 million American wildlife enthusiasts, hunters, anglers, birders, and hikers. A portion of the funds will also support wildlife education.
• Provide tribes critical funding for wildlife conservation. RAWA provides a $97.5 million annual non-competitive Tribal Wildlife Conservation and Restoration grant program to assist tribes in carrying out wildlife conservation and habitat restoration efforts.

###