Environment (Wildlife)

HRES 346 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing support for protecting and conserving at least 50% of U.S. land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems. It urges Congress to advance this goal while encouraging international diplomatic efforts to achieve similar conservation targets globally. The resolution cites scientific evidence on biodiversity loss (including a 73% average decline in wildlife populations since 1970) and emphasizes that protecting natural areas provides climate mitigation, economic, and public health benefits. It references E.O. Wilson’s scientific estimate that protecting half the Earth’s surface would preserve 85% of species, and notes the need for equitable implementation to address historical disparities in conservation impacts. As a resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but formally states congressional support for this conservation target.

HJRES 78 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that granted endangered species status to the San Francisco Bay-Delta population of the longfin smelt, a fish native to California's Bay-Delta region. If passed, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preventing the smelt from receiving federal protections under the Endangered Species Act. The rule, published in the Federal Register in July 2024, aimed to protect this specific fish population from threats like habitat loss and water management practices. This resolution does not create new policy but directly reverses an existing regulatory action affecting the smelt and its ecosystem.

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act to prevent federal protection for nonnative species and restrict conservation funding. Specifically, it blocks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from listing nonnative species as endangered or threatened under Section 4(a), and prohibits using federal funds to acquire land in foreign countries for conservation under Section 8(a). It directly affects the administration of the Endangered Species Act and conservation organizations working with nonnative species or international land acquisitions. The key changes are a categorical exclusion of nonnative species from protection and a ban on foreign land purchases using federal conservation funds.

This resolution (SRES 248) calls on the federal government to create a national biodiversity strategy to address accelerating biodiversity loss. It specifically urges the establishment of a coordinated strategy with key goals, including protecting at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 (the "30x30" target), protecting endangered species, integrating climate action, and incorporating Indigenous knowledge. The strategy would require federal agencies to coordinate conservation efforts, collaborate with states, tribes, and communities, and ensure equitable access to nature for historically impacted groups like Tribal communities and communities of color. As a non-binding resolution, it directs agencies to develop this strategy but does not create new laws or funding.