Calling a member of Congress is a powerful way to advocate for issues you care about. Here are some tips to make your call as effective as possible. Have fun, be polite, and remember to make the call your own! BEFORE THE CALL Take a few minutes to gather your thoughts and prepare what you want to say. We have provided a couple example scripts, but make it your own. Identify yourself, and be ready to provide your name, hometown, and possibly your ZIP code. Keep the call under 2 minutes. DURING THE CALL INTRO (if speaking to a staffer or leaving a voicemail): Hi, my name is [NAME], and I’m from [CITY/STATE]. I’m calling to strongly urge the Congressmember to publicly oppose H.R. 1897, the so-called “ESA Amendments Act.” KEY TALKING POINTS (choose 2–3 for your message): · This bill would weaken one of the most effective environmental laws in American history. The Endangered Species Act has helped prevent extinction for the vast majority of species under its protection. Gutting it now would put countless vulnerable species at greater risk. · H.R. 1897 is dangerous because it limits judicial review at exactly the moment accountability matters most. Courts are one of the few checks the public has when agencies or politicians make unlawful decisions about endangered species. Blocking review means fewer checks, less transparency, and more room for abuse. · This bill would make it easier to weaken protections and harder to challenge bad decisions in court. That sets a dangerous precedent: when industry and politics want fewer rules, endangered species and the ecosystems they depend on are the ones forced to pay the price. · The ESA protects more than individual animals. It protects habitats, food webs, and the ecological systems that keep land, water, and wildlife healthy. Weakening those protections does not just hurt one species — it destabilizes entire ecosystems. · This bill invites decisions driven by economics and politics instead of science. Endangered species policy should be based on the best available data, not on which industries want fewer safeguards or faster permits. · H.R. 1897 would make recovery harder for already imperiled species by weakening protections and making it easier to move species toward delisting before recovery is secure. That is not conservation — it is a rollback dressed up as reform. · Gray wolves are one example of what is at stake. Wolves still face relentless political attacks, and broader ESA rollbacks make it easier for species like wolves to lose protections before recovery is secure. Wolves help maintain healthier ecosystems and support biodiversity, but bills like this make science-based recovery harder. · Once Congress starts weakening the ESA for political convenience, it opens the door for more attacks on other species. Today it may be wolves, whales, or wolverines. Tomorrow it could be any species that stands in the way of profit or development. · The Endangered Species Act is a bipartisan legacy. It was signed into law under President Nixon and has long reflected the principle that protecting wildlife should rise above politics. · Protecting endangered species should never be about choosing profit over survival. Once a species is gone, it is gone for good. Congress should be strengthening safeguards, not weakening them. THINGS TO REMEMBER: If you have a personal connection to the Member of Congress or where they represent, emphasize that. FROM THEIR STATE/DISTRICT: Talk about the wildlife, landscapes, rivers, coastlines, forests, or outdoor spaces in their district that depend on strong environmental protections — and what is at stake for the local environment, recreation, and economy if those protections are weakened. If you have a personal connection to any of the key issues, emphasize that. BUSINESS OWNERS: Talk about running a business that depends on outdoor recreation, tourism, or healthy natural resources — and how weaker wildlife protections could harm your community and local economy. FARMERS/RANCHERS: If you are a farmer or rancher who depends on healthy land, clean water, pollinators, or balanced ecosystems, explain that weakening environmental protections creates long-term instability and puts more pressure on rural communities. Enhance Your Call! Howl! Ask your kid if they would like to call! CLOSING ASK: Please tell [Congress member NAME] to oppose H.R. 1897 and stand up for science, endangered species, and the public interest.