WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined committee chairman Tom Carper (D-DE) and ranking member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to introduce legislation to reauthorize federal habitat and wildlife conservation programs. 

The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act builds on efforts to protect and preserve ecosystems from evolving threats including invasive species and wildlife diseases.

“I’m proud to champion policies that maintain the integrity of our nation’s wetlands and bolster waterfowl habitat on federal lands. Continuing this successful conservation program ensures future generations of hunters and anglers will be able to participate in popular Arkansas outdoor activities,” said Boozman. 

“The ACE Act is a vital tool to protect our nation’s natural beauty and conserve our wildlife,” said Carper. “This legislation once again reauthorizes programs such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund and the Chesapeake Bay Program, which help preserve vital ecosystems, restore habitat and conserve wildlife. The ACE Act also recognizes that wildlife conservation is a shared responsibility between the federal government, state partners and many stakeholders, including hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers.”

“The ACE Act includes important provisions to support conservation and habitat restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay, which will help boost our state’s outdoor recreation industry, especially in the Eastern Panhandle,” Capito said. 

The ACE Act was signed into law in 2020. It has enabled the implementation of collaborative strategies to protect and restore critical habitat including reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act and the Chesapeake Bay Program.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

The ACE Reauthorization Act is endorsed by Ducks Unlimited, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the National Wildlife Federation, American Sportfishing Association, the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.