On July 10, the Senate failed to secure the required 60 votes for passage of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act. This bill, opposed by the Animal Welfare Institute and countless other animal protection and conservation groups, would have had substantial and direct adverse impacts on wildlife, public health, and existing conservation efforts by weakening protections offered by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Toxic Substances Control Act, and would interfere with the authority of federal agencies responsible for managing natural resources.
“AWI is gratified by the failure of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act in the Senate,” said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for AWI. “AWI commends those senators who stood strong against this ill-conceived legislation.”