Help Needed: Tell your senators to protect vulnerable wildlife!

The Endangered Species Act protects animals in the greatest danger of disappearing – and until recently, it was also interpreted to protect their homes.

That changed in July when the Trump administration removed the definition of “harm” from the Endangered Species Act rules. They did this in an attempt to end the long-standing legal interpretation that kills or injures protected species is illegal. Under this new interpretation, landscapes that threatened and endangered animals need to survive could be carved up, demolished and exploited.

But a new measure in the Senate could strike down this attempt to gut the Endangered Species act and pillage irreplaceable habitat. Senators Schiff and Whitehouse introduced a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to reverse this administration’s rescission of the “harm” definition.

Your senators need to hear from you: Send them a message right now saying you support this critical measure to protect valuable habitat for wildlife!

Message

Dear Senator {contact_data~lastName},

I am a constituent who is passionate about protecting imperiled wildlife and the habitat they need to survive. I urge you to support Senators Schiff and Whitehouse's recently introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to reverse the Trump administration's decision to gut vital, longstanding habitat protections for threatened and endangered species. Passing this CRA resolution to reverse the administration's elimination of the "harm" definition is vital to protecting America's wildlife from extinction!

The Endangered Species Act is America’s single greatest tool to prevent species extinction. It has a 99% success rate and has saved some of America’s most iconic species, including the bald eagle and humpback whale, from disappearing forever. Recognizing that destroying a species' habitat is harmful to the survival of the species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service created regulations defining "harm" that made clear that destroying a species' habitat was prohibited. Unsurprisingly, the habitat-inclusive definition of “harm” was previously upheld by the Supreme Court.

Removing this regulation, as the Trump administration did, does not change the fact that wildlife suffers when their habitat is destroyed. The Trump administration is ignoring Congress’s intent and abandoning ESA protections for protecting species and their habitat.

Habitat destruction is one of the leading threats to ESA-listed species, making the conservation of these habitats especially important. In fact, 90% of the species listed under the ESA are at risk of extinction because of habitat loss and degradation. The Trump administration’s July 2026 rule seeks to eliminate tools that protect the places where threatened and endangered species live.

Your constituents will not stand to see our cherished wildlife destroyed! That is why I’m urging you to support Sens. Schiff and Whitehouse’s resolution to reverse the administration’s elimination of the "harm" definition. The Senate must preserve the longstanding policy of considering habitat protection as essential to the conservation and recovery of our county’s most imperiled wildlife.

Thank you for your consideration,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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