Lankford Votes to Stop the Continued Weaponization of the Endangered Species Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted to strike down the Biden Administration’s recent listing of the lesser prairie-chicken (LPC) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Lankford supported a Congressional Review Act resolution to disapprove of the rule put forward by the Biden Administration’s Fish & Wildlife Services (FWS). The resolution passed in a vote off 50 to 48.

“The Endangered Species Act continues to be weaponized by Democrats to push their federal takeover of private energy, agriculture, and commerce in my state,” said Lankford. “Oklahomans have diligently worked to conserve the lesser prairie-chicken and it’s habitat so we could preserve the species and avoid its listing under the Endangered Species Act. Studies have shown that the lesser prairie-chicken population is impacted mostly by drought. Despite years of work, Biden’s Fish and Wildlife Service has ignored the drought and all the work of land owners by moving forward with their listing. Considering the Endangered Species Act has cost land owners, producers, and many more millions of dollars and yet only has about a 2-percent success rate, I remain adamantly opposed to listing the lesser prairie-chicken.” 

Lankford introduced the measure with Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and their colleagues as a joint resolution of disapproval in both chambers of Congress. Lankford also secured a delay of the final rule.

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