Endangered Species Act Habitat Protections Rollback Prompts Bipartisan Congressional Action

Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick (R‑PA‑1) and Mike Quigley (D‑IL‑5) introduced the Safeguarding Endangered Species Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at nullifying a Trump administration rule that narrowed the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. The rule, finalized on July 10 by the Departments of the Interior and Commerce, would remove federal protections for critical habitats such as forests, wetlands, and deserts, opening them to development, logging, mining and drilling.

Environmental groups and tribal nations have sued the rule, arguing that states lack the legal authority and resources to fill the gap left by the federal rollback. Experts cited in a Stateline report warned that state wildlife agencies are underfunded and unequipped to prevent habitat destruction on the scale previously overseen by federal agencies. Fitzpatrick said, “Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act to prevent extinction—not to document it after the damage has already been done,” while emphasizing the need to preserve habitat protections for threatened species.