After passing a major climate bill over the weekend, the Senate is on the verge of approving another environmental law that’s being called the biggest piece of legislation for wildlife since the Endangered Species Act. That law from 1973 saved many species from extinction and continues to be a powerful tool for environmental conservation.

The new Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, or RAWA, would overhaul how the country funds efforts to protect endangered plants and animals. Here & Now‘s Jane Clayson speaks with Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico who sponsored the bill.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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