WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) announced that his America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act was signed into law by the president. The legislation’s investments will enhance the preservation of America's natural resources, wildlife, and habitats, while including important measures to enhance accountability and reporting that ensure the effectiveness and transparency of funded projects.
The bill passed the House earlier this month as an amendment to S.3791, which passed the Senate earlier this year. The ACE Reauthorization Act advanced out of the House Natural Resources Committee in September after being introduced in June by Reps. Wittman, Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04).
“Those who know me well know how much I love the great outdoors – from fishing, hunting, to just spending time with my grandkids on our beautiful public lands and waterways in Virginia’s Northern Neck,” said Congressman Wittman. “To protect these precious natural resources, I know how important it is that we invest in conservation programs like those authorized by my America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for working with me to pass this critical piece of legislation, and I thank the president for signing it into law so we can preserve our wildlife, waters, and lands for generations to come."
“Congressman Wittman has continuously been a leader on conservation issues, and the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act is no exception,” said House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman. “This legislation will support vital conservation programs while responsibly balancing the needs of working communities. Thanks to his tireless efforts, this important bill has officially been signed into law and is another major win for Congressman Wittman’s constituents.”
“The United States is in the midst of an unprecedented biodiversity crisis, and we need to act now and invest substantively in conservation,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act to support a broad range of conservation programs that will protect our wildlife and the habitats they depend on.”
“Coastal Virginia is blessed to be home to the Chesapeake Bay, filled with countless fish and other wildlife that should be protected,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “I am honored to be a strong advocate for the preservation of our local habitats so Virginia families and visitors can enjoy them for decades to come. The America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024 will ensure we can continue to protect important wildlife and natural resources across the country, and I am proud to see it signed into law.”
“Reauthorizing our most critical wildlife conservation programs just makes sense,” said Congressman Thompson. “The ACE Reauthorization Act will ensure the longevity of our North American Wetlands Conservation Act Program, which has already helped conserve over 32 million acres of wetlands across our country! I’m a longtime supporter of U.S. conservation efforts and I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bipartisan legislation. Thank you Reps. Wittman, Dingell, Kiggans, and Westerman for your support.”
Congressman Wittman serves as co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, of which he works across the aisle to advance bipartisan legislation to protect the Bay and conservation efforts nationwide.
The following legislation that Rep. Wittman previously introduced or co-led is included in the America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act:
North American Wetlands Conservation Act:
- Protects waterfowl, fish, wildlife resources, and wetland habitats.
- Supports local economies that depend on outdoor recreation, tourism, and agriculture.
- Preserves American traditions such as hunting, fishing, bird watching, family farming, and cattle ranching.
National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act:
- Strengthens partnerships and projects to help maintain healthy fish populations and aquatic ecosystems.
Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act:
- Reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Program, a successful federal-state partnership that coordinates efforts to reduce pollution in the Bay, through Fiscal Year 2030.
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Reauthorization Act:
- Supports efforts to improve the condition of habitats and enhance public access to the Bay and its rivers.
Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) Act:
- Helps local entities rehabilitate fish and wildlife habitats through the Bay Watershed.
“With the Chesapeake Bay cleanup at a crossroads, renewing programs that fund community-led conservation projects could not come at a better time,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek. “The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act will mobilize resources to improve water quality, protect vital habitats, and provide more recreational opportunities across the Bay region. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is grateful to Rep. Wittman for his leadership and hard work shepherding the ACE Reauthorization Act through Congress to the president’s desk. We also thank Rep. Kiggans for her commitment to Bay restoration and Reps. Dingell and Thompson for their work as conservation champions.”
“Many of America’s treasured ecosystems, from wetlands to coastlines, remain existentially threatened in our rapidly changing world,” said Andrew Wilkins, director of land conservation policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “The America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act supports collaborative habitat restoration across the country and its swift passage illustrates the bipartisan consensus on this issue. We thank the many members of Congress instrumental in getting this bill to the President’s desk.”
“America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act impacts many of North America’s foundational conservation programs,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “From national initiatives like NAWCA to regional partnerships like the Chesapeake Bay Program, this bill will strengthen our ability to conserve wetlands and other waterfowl habitat in all 50 states. Its signing into law indicates a strong finish for the 118th Congress, and we thank Reps. Wittman and Thompson and Sens. Carper and Capito for their leadership. We look forward to carrying this bipartisan momentum for conservation into the new year.”
"Provisions within the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act like the National Fish Habitat Partnership are invaluable for America's 57.7 million anglers and $230 billion sportfishing economy," said Glenn Hughes, president of the American Sportfishing Association. "Reauthorizing these critical programs will result in direct and immediate benefits for our waterways, fish and recreational anglers. We are grateful to Reps. Wittman, Dingell, Kiggans, and Thompson for championing this important effort."
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is excited to see the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act signed into law. This legislation will bolster fish and wildlife conservation by reauthorizing key programs that are crucial to healthy habitats across the nation,” said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane. “CSF thanks Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Rep. Wittman, Sen. Carper, and the numerous CSC Leaders and Members who were instrumental in getting this bill passed in the 118th Congress.”
Prior to his election to Congress, Congressman Wittman spent 26 years working in state government, most recently as field director for the Virginia Health Department's Division of Shellfish Sanitation. Earlier in his career, he worked as an environmental health specialist for local health departments in Virginia's Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions.
Read the full bill text here.
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