Central Wisconsin News

Congressman Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert's bipartisan legislation to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act has successfully passed the U.S. House by a narrow vote of 209-205. The bill, known as the Trust the Science Act, aims to remove the gray wolf from the list of federal endangered species and return authority over the gray wolf population to state lawmakers and wildlife officials.

In a statement following the House passage, Congressman Tiffany emphasized the importance of the bill, stating, "The science is clear; the gray wolf has met and exceeded recovery goals. Today's House passage represents an important first step towards restoring local control over the skyrocketing gray wolf population in Wisconsin. I will continue to fight to get this legislation through the U.S. Senate to protect livestock and pets from brutal wolf attacks."

The Trust the Science Act requires the Secretary of Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States. It also ensures that this reissuance will not be subject to judicial review, aiming to prevent activist judges from unilaterally impacting the gray wolf's status under the ESA.

The gray wolf population has been a topic of concern, particularly in Wisconsin's Seventh District, where numerous wolf attacks have occurred in recent years. Despite significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions, a California judge unilaterally relisted the gray wolf under the ESA in 2022, causing setbacks in conservation efforts.

Support for the Trust the Science Act has been robust, with 24 Members of Congress cosponsoring the bill, including the entire Wisconsin Republican Congressional Delegation. Various groups such as the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, and state-specific associations like the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation have backed the legislation.

The passage of this bill in the U.S. House marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to address the gray wolf population's management and conservation. The focus now shifts to the U.S. Senate, where the Trust the Science Act will undergo further scrutiny and debate.