©2026 League of Conservation Voters
Issues
Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sponsored an amendment to H.R. 3838, Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY26, which would exempt defense-related activities from complying with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This amendment would carve out a massive loophole in the ESA, undermine science, and ignore the longstanding partnership between the Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state wildlife agencies to conserve species and resources on DOD-designated military lands. Those tens of millions of acres of military lands support the preservation of ecologically important native habitats for fish, wildlife, and plant species, including over 400 threatened and endangered species. On September 10, the House rejected the Biggs amendment by a vote of 200-228 (House roll call vote 259). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters