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Congressmen Westerman and Conaway Introduce Accountable Recovery Act

June 11, 2015

WASHINGTON -- (News Release) Thursday June 11, Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) and Congressman Mike Conaway (R-Texas) introduced the Accountable Recovery Act. This legislation requires that recovery plans for species conservation are made publically available once a species is listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

"The purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to recover species, but all too often species are listed with no real plans for recovery," Conaway said. "This legislation will ensure that not only are comprehensive species recovery plans with objective criteria in place, but they are made publically available so that the best available science will prevail. I'm looking forward to working with my colleague Rep. Westerman to get this important legislation passed into law."

"Transparency should be an important part of how we govern," Westerman said. "But far too often, decisions are made with little to no transparency and citizens are left in the dark. This legislation shines a light on what has been until now a secretive process and will allow the best science to guide decisions on species recovery instead of special interests and bureaucrats in Washington guiding those decisions. I applaud Congressman Conaway for his leadership on this bill and I look forward to its consideration in this Congress."

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