U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on May 12 offered a bipartisan bill to reauthorize appropriations for the volunteer services, community partnership and refuge education programs of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
“Some of our greatest assets are our lands and waters,” Sen. Capito said. “This legislation ensures that citizens can continue to volunteer and play a role in the National Wildlife Refuge System and preserve it for future generations.”
Sen. Capito signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022, S. 4194, alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), who are ranking member and chairman, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which is considering the measure.
“National Wildlife Refuges are natural treasures for all Americans to enjoy,” said Sen. Carper. “We especially saw the importance of our national public lands, including refuges, during the pandemic, when these critical wildlife habitats also served the public as safe outdoor spaces for recreation — thanks, in large part, to the hard work of dedicated volunteers.”
America’s 568 National Wildlife Refuges are located in all 50 states and the five territories, making up 850 million acres of public lands and waters dedicated to the conservation of fish and wildlife, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
S. 4194 is supported by the American Bird Conservancy, the American Fisheries Society, the American Hiking Society, the American Sportfishing Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates, Defenders of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, the Izaak Walton League of America, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Wildlife Refuge Association, The Nature Conservancy, The Wilderness Society, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and Trout Unlimited.