Press Releases

Today, Representative Jack Bergman took part in a hearing by the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, underscoring the need to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. Expressing his strong support for H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, Rep. Bergman highlighted the Great Lakes Region’s overwhelmingly successful efforts in recovering the once-endangered species, and he emphasized the critical need to now return wolf management efforts to individual state wildlife agencies.

Rep. Bergman stated, “The gray wolf has made a remarkable comeback in the Upper Peninsula, and the data confirms it. Yet, local, state, and tribal wildlife officials remain unable to manage wolf populations due to Washington’s failure to adapt to changing conditions on the ground. The needs and circumstances of Michigan aren’t the same as those of other states, but rigid, one-size-fits-all federal regulation continues to ignore that. The people of Michigan – not bureaucrats in Washington or federal judges thousands of miles away – know what’s best for our state. I’m proud to support the Pet and Livestock Protection Act to return wolf management to the states, where it belongs.”

In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Trump delisted the gray wolf across the lower 48 states based on the best available science and data. However, in 2022, a federal judge in California vacated this rule. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule which delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 states and ensures this rule can't be overturned through judicial review.

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the wolf population has surpassed 760 and has been steadily rising for over a decade. While this recovery marks a conservation success, it has also led to a rise in wolf encounters among UP residents. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act is a science-based solution that empowers states to manage their wolf populations effectively without unnecessary federal interference.

Watch the full video of his remarks here.