Reauthorization of ACE Act Will Keep Important Conservation Programs Funded Until 2030
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Backcountry Hunters & Anglers applauds the passage of the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act, legislation that will keep key federal conservation programs running through the 2030 Fiscal Year.
The ACE Reauthorization Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate in February by Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), was passed by the chamber yesterday evening through unanimous consent. This bipartisan legislation will benefit hunters and anglers by renewing several important programs through the end of the decade; increasing available funding for wetlands conservation, continuing the federal Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force, and extending available funding for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the nation’s largest grant-maker for the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat.
“Reauthorizing the ACE Act is critical to continue the momentum for the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat across North America. Support for the management of chronic wasting disease is also paramount, particularly with the recent news that it has been detected by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, confirming its presence now in 34 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces,” said Patrick Berry, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “We commend the Senate for recognizing the importance of this legislation through a unanimous vote. Now we call upon the House of Representatives to follow suit by passing this legislation and sending it to the President’s desk with the support of sportsmen and women.”
The ACE Act was signed into law in 2020 with support from BHA. Thousands of BHA members and supporters have raised their voices both then and now on behalf of these conservation programs and this bipartisan opportunity to improve fish and wildlife habitat.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. Learn more at www.backcountryhunters.org.
