American Sovereignty and Species Protection Act of 2025This bill limits the protection of endangered or threatened species to species that are native to the United States. In addition, the bill prohibits certain funding for endangered or threatened species from being used to acquire lands, waters, or other interests in foreign countries.
The implications of this bill are profound for state laws related to wildlife conservation and environmental protection. By restricting the classification of non-native species, the bill could lead to the decreased protection of certain species that, while not native, may be critical to certain ecosystems in the U.S. Furthermore, it shifts the focus towards a nationalistic approach to species preservation, which may create tensions with existing conservation efforts that include international considerations for biodiversity.
House Bill 102, known as the American Sovereignty and Species Protection Act of 2025, seeks to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by preventing non-native species from being classified as endangered or threatened. The bill specifically states that the Secretary cannot determine a species as endangered or threatened if it is not native to the United States. This change is poised to significantly impact how species classification is handled under federal law, aligning protective measures more closely with domestic species versus those that have been introduced from other countries.
Notably, the bill includes provisions that would prohibit the use of federal financial assistance for acquiring lands or interests in foreign countries. Critics of the bill may argue that this restricts necessary funding and support for global conservation initiatives, thus diminishing the global responsibility that comes with biodiversity preservation. Overall, this bill raises concerns about the balance between national interests and global ecological responsibilities.