WASHINGTON —Today, the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works held a hearing on making changes that would weaken the Endangered Species Act. The National Audubon Society issued the following response:

“If you’ve ever seen a Bald Eagle or a Brown Pelican, you can thank the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act not only protects iconic American wildlife from extinction but it does so at a 99 percent success rate,” said Sarah Greenberger, Audubon’s VP of Conservation. “The Act works so well because it encourages people to keep a species safe before a listing is necessary, and it is effective enough to bring a species back from the brink when listed. Congressional efforts to weaken this important law increase the chances that birds and other wildlife could disappear forever.

“Our leaders in Congress have enough real problems to deal with and should not spend any time dismantling a successful and popular law that a vast majority of Americans support.”

Audubon is asking supporters of the Endangered Species Act to write their members of Congress today to oppose any efforts to weaken this important law.