Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Extinction Prevention Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Extinction Prevention Act of 2026 aims to establish dedicated funds for the conservation of specific wildlife and ecosystems. This includes butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest. The bill creates specific funds for each of these areas to provide financial assistance and support conservation initiatives. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide competitive grants for these projects. The legislation also outlines requirements for project proposals, reviews, and federal reporting.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill establishes dedicated funds for the conservation of butterflies, plants, freshwater mussels, and desert fish.
- Scored +2
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill requires consultation and potential consent from indigenous communities for project implementation.
- Scored +2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires the Secretary to make project reports and documents available to the public.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes significant new federal spending through multiple conservation funds.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Financial Support for Conservation Projects: The bill provides competitive financial assistance and multiyear grants to help protect various species and their habitats (Section 104, Section 204, Section 304, Section 404).
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Habitat Protection and Research: The funds are intended for the protection, restoration, and management of habitats, as well as onsite research and monitoring of populations (Section 103, Section 203, Section 303, Section 403).
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Community Involvement: Project proposals are required to include mechanisms to encourage local public participation in project development and implementation (Section 104, Section 204, Section 304, Section 404).
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Protection of Cultural Resources: Project proposals must demonstrate sensitivity to local historic and cultural resources (Section 104, Section 204, Section 304, Section 404).
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Indigenous Community Engagement: For certain projects, the Secretary may require evidence of free, informed, and prior consent by indigenous communities (Section 104).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Administrative Costs: Each title allows the Secretary to expend up to 3 percent of the available funds or $80,000 for administrative expenses (Section 105, Section 205, Section 305, Section 405).
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Requirement for Matching Funds: The Secretary is directed to give preference to project proposals that have available matching funds (Section 104, Section 204, Section 304, Section 404).
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Public Disclosure of Project Information: The Secretary is required to make available to the public each report submitted by entities receiving assistance, as well as any other documents relating to the project (Section 104, Section 204, Section 304, Section 404).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill establishes dedicated funds for the conservation of butterflies, plants, freshwater mussels, and desert fish.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill requires consultation and potential consent from indigenous communities for project implementation. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Conservation projects targeting specific habitats may benefit rural communities through local engagement.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary to make project reports and documents available to the public.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes significant new federal spending through multiple conservation funds.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill includes provisions for seeking free, informed, and prior consent from indigenous communities for certain projects.
- 5/14/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon