WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill, closing out its 2018 federal spending plan. Included in this spending package was funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and other important environmental programs that help to protect and conserve our nation’s wildlife and outdoors. Unfortunately, this bill not only contained problematic anti-environmental riders, but also continued the dangerous trend of recklessly cutting conservation funding.

In response, Collin O’Mara, the National Wildlife Federation’s president and CEO, said:

“Despite tireless efforts of numerous members of both parties to restore funding for critical conservation programs, we at the National Wildlife Federation are disappointed that the House passed an overall appropriations bill that dramatically underfunds key American conservation priorities. This spending package slashes funding for numerous effective conservation programs that have a proven track record of safeguarding public health, increasing wildlife populations, enhancing land conservation, and achieving clean water and clean air. In the Roosevelt tradition, the National Wildlife Federation believes that, at this time of record natural resource impacts, there should be ‘no greater issue than that of conservation in this country.’ We urge Congress to work to secure long-term funding solutions before the end of the year that invests in and conserves our natural heritage for generations to come.”