Manage Our Wolves Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 6784 as this act will block vital protection for gray wolves across the entire Nation, protections that were implemented under the Endangered Species Act.

H.R. 6784 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue a rule removing the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act list, which would preclude judicial review of agency decisions on wolf delisting and deny citizens the right to hold the Government accountable for its actions.

There is no mystery about the negative impact that passing this legislation would have on the gray wolf, because we have already seen it. In 2011, Congress used an appropriations rider to delist wolves in Idaho and in Montana. And since 2011, over 2,500 wolves have been killed in these two States where the management practices included shooting wolves lured by bait, chasing wolves with packs of hounds, using steel-jawed legholds, and using wire snare traps.

Given these concerns, Mr. Speaker, I oppose this legislation. Endangered Species Act decisions must be made with caution. We should also be extremely bipartisan in these approaches. And if there is legitimate dispute over delisting, then delisting is premature and ill- advised. That is why I oppose this legislation.

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