Washington, DC - Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, made the following statement on legislation (S. 249), re-introduced in the Senate today, that would completely and irreversibly remove the gray wolf from the list of threatened and endangered species. Under the Endangered Species Act, a decision to delist a species must be based on science and a commitment from impacted states to maintain the species' long-term viability.

Senators Boxer and Cardin said: "The Endangered Species Act is one of the nation's landmark environmental laws and has protected iconic species like the bald eagle. The Act, which unanimously passed the Senate and was signed into law by President Nixon, relies on the best available science to make decisions about how to protect the nation's threatened and endangered species.

Legislation introduced today that completely and irreversibly removes the Gray Wolf from the list of threatened and endangered species sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the Endangered Species Act and threatens the continued existence of the Gray Wolf across this country.

We objected to moving similar legislation on the floor of the Senate in December of last year, and we remain just as opposed today. But we also look forward to working with our colleagues on an approach that follows the science, addresses the concerns of local communities, and upholds the integrity of the Endangered Species Act."

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