Lummis, Newhouse Slam Biden Administration’s Eleventh Hour Attempt to Appease Climate Extremists

December 13, 2024

Washington, D.C. - Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Congressional Western Caucus Chair Dan Newhouse (R-WA) slammed the Biden administration's last ditch attempts to appease climate activists by listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, senselessly hogtying landowners with restrictive regulations to score some final political points.

"The Endangered Species Act is in dire need of reform, and this listing by the Fish and Wildlife Service only further drives home this point," said Lummis. "As Republicans prepare to control the Senate, House, and White House next year, I look forward to prioritizing legislative and administrative reforms that will protect species without hindering economic development."

"This announcement by the Fish and Wildlife Service to list the monarch butterfly as threatened highlights the need for comprehensive reform to the Endangered Species Act," said Newhouse. "For far too long, the ESA has been used to stifle development while encroaching on the rights of private landowners. The Western Caucus will continue to prioritize reforms to the ESA, including the ESA Amendments Act, to make the law work better for species, landowners and rural communities alike."

Monarch butterfly populations are found across the contiguous U.S., including Wyoming.

###