©2026 League of Conservation Voters
Issues
Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sponsored an amendment to H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, which would exempt defense-related activity from the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Biggs amendment carves a huge loophole in the ESA for all manner of military activities, including activities of industrial contractors and subcontractors, exposing endangered and threatened species to unrestricted harm and possible extinction. The Department of Defense (DOD) manages approximately 27 million acres of land on 338 military installations, containing over 400 threatened and endangered species. On July 13, the House rejected the Biggs amendment by a vote of 193-237 (House roll call vote 322).
©2026 League of Conservation Voters