WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) celebrated passage today of his bipartisan legislation with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to create a U.S. Foundation for International Conservation (USFIC) as part of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill was led in the House by Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.). Representative Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) led the first version of the bill in the House. 

Well-managed protected areas such as national parks promote a number of interests in the Global South. Without effective management, these areas become vulnerable to illegal exploitation, undermining U.S. national security and economic interests. The illegal wildlife trade finances violent extremist groups and destabilizes local and regional governments. Illegal trade in natural resource commodities undermines U.S. and global markets, depresses prices, and makes it difficult for law-abiding U.S. companies to compete. The depletion of natural resources, such as water and food, intensifies regional conflicts and instability, potentially leading to armed disputes that threaten U.S. interests abroad.

Despite their critical importance, protected areas lack the long-term investment needed to support effective management. The creation of a U.S. Foundation for International Conservation that will be largely funded by private philanthropic dollars aims to close this funding gap in protected areas across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Well-managed protected areas not only protect and restore biodiversity but also provide vital benefits to people in the regions, including clean air and water, food and medicine, poverty alleviation, sustainable economic development, and regional security.

“Smart investments in international conservation don’t just protect our environment,” said Senator Coons. “They reduce the threat of security challenges resulting from regional instability by strengthening local economies and lessening the draw of extremist groups, while cracking down on the poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking that fund terrorism. A public investment that has already been paid for will unlock hundreds of millions of additional dollars in private funds to combat security and environmental threats across the Global South. I’m delighted that this new foundation has been passed into law as part of the NDAA, and I’m looking forward to working with partners across the aisle and in the private sector to get it up and running in the coming months.”

“The U.S. Foundation for International Conservation is a win-win in that the bill leverages private capital while supporting the long-term protection of critical landscapes around the world,” said Senator Graham. “Investments in conservation lead to food security and regional stability. I am proud to work with Senator Coons, my colleagues, and stakeholders to position the United States as a leader in international conservation.” 

“I’m very pleased the NDAA included my historic, bipartisan legislation promoting public-private partnerships to strengthen global conservation efforts and counter the Chinese Communist Party’s malign influence,” said Congressman McCaul. “As chairman, I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the world and see the importance of wildlife conservation firsthand. I’ve witnessed China and various international criminal organizations devastate communities for their own gain, and this bill has the power to undercut malign actors who profit from illicit wildlife trafficking. Conservation efforts have a long history of bipartisan support dating back to Teddy Roosevelt, and I’m glad to see this tradition continue. This foundation is more than just a way to leverage the power of private contributions – it is a diplomatic investment in the U.S. foreign policy toolkit that none of our adversaries can replicate.”

“Protecting our planet’s biodiversity and natural resources that benefit communities around the globe is in America’s interests, too – as it bolsters our ability to build a more stable and sustainable future,” said Congressman Meeks. “This bipartisan initiative strengthens critical international partnerships, creates opportunities for American leadership in conservation and innovation, and helps mitigate the environmental and climate challenges that impact us all.”

“This bipartisan legislation will protect endangered wildlife and support conservation efforts around the globe,” said Congressman Joyce. “With the formation of this foundation, America will be the leader in international conservation, boosting global stability and combating illicit wildlife trafficking. I have long championed this effort as the Co-Chair of the International Conservation Caucus in Congress and I am proud to see it headed to the president’s desk.”

The U.S. Foundation for International Conservation has already demonstrated broad, bipartisan support. The standalone version introduced in the Senate is cosponsored by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.). The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed it nearly unanimously on April 16. The House bill has 92 cosponsors, 43 Democrats and 49 Republicans; it was passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee by a vote of 42-7 on March 20. Representatives Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), President-elect Trump’s nominees for National Security Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, respectively, are both cosponsors.

The U.S. Foundation for International Conservation is already funded, with $100 million already allocated for it in the March 2024 omnibus government funding bill. There is another $100 million in the fiscal 2025 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) bill. Much of USFIC’s funding, however, will come from the private sector. The bill passed today requires a 2-to-1 match of private to public funds, and 10 leading philanthropists joined a letter to express their support for providing the private match for this new model.

Senator Coons and two-dozen federal agency leaders, American philanthropists, and independent experts met earlier this year to lay groundwork for implementation and discuss how to get USFIC up and running as quickly as possible.

Senator Coons is Chair of SFOPS and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Graham is the SFOPS Ranking Member. Congressman McCaul is Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Congressman Meeks is Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

A full list of endorsement quotes is available here.