Policy and Legislation

Defenders mobilizes supporters and partners on the international, national, state and local levels to secure laws and policies that safeguard wild species and their habitats.

Aerial Hunting
Defenders supports the passage of the Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act. The bill, introduced in the 110th Congress, would clarify that the Airborne Hunting Act expressly prohibits aerial gunning or land and shoot gunning of wolves and other predators for the purposes of sport hunting or the inflation of game species populations.
Border Legislation
Defenders of Wildlife is working to make sure comprehensive immigration reform includes protections for fragile riparian and desert ecosystems and wildlife along our border with Mexico.
Endangered Species Act
For more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Act has helped prevent the extinction of our nation's wildlife treasures. Legislation currently under consideration in Congress would help add to the success of the Endangered Species Act.
Energy Policy and Legislation
Defenders of Wildlife is working to encourage Congress to pursue environmentally sound and wildlife friendly energy policies.
Farm Bill
Defenders is working hard to ensure that the conservation programs funded through the farm bill are reauthorized, expanded, and strengthened to provide greater benefits to wildlife.
Funding for Wildlife and Habitat
Federal funding for environmental programs is vital to efforts in our nation to protect the last vestiges of our magnificent natural heritage and to pass on a clean, healthy and vibrant environment to our children. Defenders is working to increase funding for these important programs.
Global Warming and Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife strongly supports the passage of national legislation that takes immediate steps to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address the root cause of climate change. At the same time, Defenders is advancing legislation to help reduce the impacts global warming will have - and in many cases is already having - on wildlife and habitat.
Wildlife on Public Lands
America’s Wildlife Heritage Act brings a balanced, common-sense approach to wildlife management on our U.S. national forests and Bureau of Land Management lands.

Other Legislative Work

International Great Cats and Rare Canines
Defenders of Wildlife is working to pass legislation that would help conserve 13 species of great cats and rare canines outside the U.S. that are internationally recognized as threatened or endangered.
Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act
Defenders supports the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (NWIPA), which would bring much-needed regulation to the current wide-open system of allowing nonnative species to enter the United States without prior risk assessment.