WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and committee ranking member Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), praised the Senate’s passage of the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver (WILD) Act.

The WILD Act in its entirety was included in S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act, which passed the Senate by a vote of 92 to 8. Barrasso and Carper worked to have the legislation included in the Natural Resources Management Act.

“The WILD Act will help support wildlife conservation, address invasive species, and protect some of the world’s rarest and most beloved animals,” said Barrasso. “The bipartisan WILD Act boosts innovative efforts to protect wildlife and will help combat poaching worldwide. The House of Representatives should pass the measure quickly."

“Last night, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the Natural Resources Management Act,” said Carper. “Among other conservation priorities, this legislation includes the WILD Act, a bipartisan bill that will provide new tools to enhance efforts to protect endangered species, prevent poaching and curb wildlife trafficking. Now, all eyes are on the House to help us bring the WILD Act to the president’s desk, and help make the United States a global leader on conservation.”

Barrasso and Carper introduced the legislation. The WILD Act is also cosponsored by Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The bill passed the EPW committee by voice vote on February 5, 2019.

The WILD Act will promote wildlife conservation, assist in the management of invasive species, and help protect endangered species. The bipartisan legislation will reauthorize government conservation programs. It will also establish prize competitions to prevent illegal poaching and trafficking, manage invasives, promote conservation, and protect endangered wildlife. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) and Don Young (AK-1).

Specifically, the WILD Act will:

• Reauthorize and fund the Department of the Interior’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program until fiscal year 2023;
• Require federal agencies to implement strategic programs to control invasive species;
• Reauthorize legislation to protect imperiled species such as elephants, great apes, turtles, tigers, and others until fiscal year 2023;
• Establish monetary-prize competitions for technological innovation in the following categories:  
  • the prevention of wildlife poaching and trafficking;
  • the promotion of wildlife conservation;
  • the management of invasive species;
  • the non-lethal management of human-wildlife conflicts; and
  • the protection of endangered species.

To view full text of the legislation, click here.

Background Information:

On March 15, 2017, the EPW Committee held an oversight hearing on “Examining Innovative Solutions to Control Invasive Species and Promote Wildlife Conservation.”

Barrasso, Carper, Inhofe, Booker, Boozman, and Whitehouse originally introduced the WILD Act in the 115^th Congress. The legislation passed the Senate in the 115^th Congress as well.

###