American Sovereignty and Species Protection Act of 2025
The American Sovereignty and Species Protection Act of 2025 would reshape the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in two main ways. First, it would bar the federal government from listing any species as endangered or threatened if that species is not native to the United States, effectively excluding nonnative species from ESA protection. Second, it would tighten how ESA funds can be used by removing authorization for land purchases abroad and, more broadly, prohibiting any financial assistance under ESA §8(a) from being used to acquire lands, waters, or other interests in foreign countries. Taken together, the bill signals a shift toward prioritizing national sovereignty in species protection and limiting international conservation activities funded through the ESA. If enacted, the bill would reduce federal protection for nonnative species and curtail international conservation investments, potentially leaving some nonnative species without ESA safeguards and limiting U.S. involvement in foreign land acquisitions for conservation purposes. The changes would be implemented through amendments to §4(a) (listing) and §8(a) (federal assistance) of the ESA.
Key Points
- 1Limitation on listing nonnative species: The bill adds a new subsection stating that the Secretary may not determine a species is endangered or threatened under ESA §4(a) if the species is not native to the United States.
- 2Change to ESA funding language: Section 8(a) is amended to move and rephrase the existing guidance on demonstrations of financial assistance, altering how funding can be described or used.
- 3New prohibition on foreign land purchases with ESA funds: The bill adds a specific prohibition forbidding any financial assistance under §8(a) from being used to acquire lands, waters, or other interests in a foreign country.
- 4Narrowing of “demonstration of” funding activities: The current language related to demonstrations of financial assistance (including land acquisition) is altered to reflect a more limited or differently scoped framework.
- 5Overall purpose and scope: The act is titled to emphasize national sovereignty and species protection, focusing on limiting nonnative species protection under the ESA and restricting international land/foreign investments funded by ESA programs.