{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/international-day-biological-diversity-stansbury-padilla-lead-group-12", "On International Day for Biological Diversity, Stansbury, Padilla Lead Group of 12 Lawmakers in Bicameral Resolution to Join United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity", "2023-05-22", "2023", "2023-05", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014As the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity and over one million species are threatened with extinction, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (Calif.) led a group of 12 Members of Congress in introducing a concurrent resolution expressing the need for the U.S. Congress to ratify the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity.\n\nThe UN Convention on Biological Diversity is the international legal instrument that encourages actions by signatories to protect habitats and natural resources that sustain biodiversity. The United States is the only UN member state that has not ratified the treaty despite already legally complying with the obligations under the convention. The climate crisis, habitat destruction, and other human-related causes have been linked with a 69% average decline in wildlife population over the last 50 years, while 30% of mammals worldwide are at risk of extinction.\n\n\u201cThe United States leads the world in conservation efforts\u2014and it is well past time to formalize our participation in global conservation by ratifying the UN Convention on Biological Diversity,\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cAs we are all interconnected on this planet, the United States must have a more active seat at the table as we work to foster global cooperation, honor Indigenous knowledge, and preserve the incredible ecosystems that sustain human life.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe United States is home to a rich array of plants, animals, and ecosystems, but our biodiversity is at risk and we must reverse course to protect it,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cAmerica cannot afford to stand on the sidelines while one million species are at risk of extinction. That\u2019s why I\u2019m excited to co-lead introduction of this resolution to push the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity.\u201d\n\nDespite being one of the top contributors in international conservation funding and biological diversity expertise, the United States is currently limited to observer status during the deliberations and decision-making processes of the Convention on Biological Diversity. While the treaty was signed in 1993, it has never been formally ratified, limiting our ability to fully participate in protecting global biodiversity.\n\nIn the House of Representatives, the resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Ra\u00fal M. Grijalva, (Ariz.-07), Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (Calif.-44), Suzanne Bonamici (Ore.-01), Eleanor Homes Norton (D.C.-AL), Summer Lee (Pa.-12), Doris Matsui (Calif.-07), Adam Schiff (Calif.-30) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.-12).\n\nIn the Senate, the resolution is cosponsored by Peter Welch (D-Vt.).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:07:47Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/international-day-biological-diversity-stansbury-padilla-lead-group-12"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6789422370493412, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}