February 3, 2026
The Honorable Susan Collins The Honorable Patty Murray
Chair Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee Senate Appropriations Committee
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Tom Cole The Honorable Rosa L. DeLauro
Chair Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee House Appropriations Committee
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chair Collins, Ranking Member Murray, Chair Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro,
We, the undersigned organizations, representing millions of hunters, anglers, fish and wildlife professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts, write to share our appreciation for your continued bipartisan and bicameral Congressional support for the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Cooperative Research Unit (CRU) program as exhibited through the generous allocations of financial support by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for FY26. Providing funding at or even above FY24/25 enacted levels ensures the important applied research conducted in collaboration with state fish and wildlife agencies can continue.
Our organizations and members strongly support the USGS Ecosystem Mission Area and the many CRUs administered by the agency that advance our understanding of conservation science and natural resource management. The USGS CRUs are a partnership between the USGS, a university, State agencies, Wildlife Management Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Established in 1935 and codified by Congress in 1960, CRUs provide added capacity to state wildlife agencies to conduct research and advance state-of-the art conservation science and technical assistance for game and nongame wildlife species. Currently there are 43 CRUs across 41 states at 44 universities. CRUs are a win-win, providing additional support for State agencies, advancing our understanding of the natural world, delivering science-based solutions for balancing human impacts and managing wildlife populations and their habitats, and fostering careers for aspiring scientists and natural resource managers.
CRUs support jobs in every region of the United States. The unique partnership structure leverages taxpayer dollars alongside university resources, supporting over 1000 jobs in rural and urban communities. Additionally, CRUs support career development and provide critical hands-on training for the next generation of conservation science leaders. Alumni of the CRU program go on to work at state and federal resource management agencies among other professions. Indeed, real economic benefits and career opportunities for local communities in rural and urban areas across the United States arise from the CRU program.
CRUs advance science that addresses our greatest challenges. Research conducted by CRUs supports addressing invasive species in waterways like the Chesapeake Bay, sustainably managing fish and wildlife populations, combating wildlife disease, and increasing our understanding of when wildlife populations warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. CRU science also supports a greater understanding of ecosystem management for resilient coastal and rural communities. Projects funded and facilitated by CRUs inform better resource management decisions and ensure wildlife and local communities thrive, all of which contributes to an outdoor recreation and conservation economy that provides millions of jobs and tax revenues nationwide.
Given the key role that CRUs play in supporting healthy wildlife populations, providing career development opportunities, and enriching local economies, we are concerned by delays in releasing funds appropriated for these purposes. These delays have left CRU stakeholders unpaid for completed work and threaten the jobs and scientific capacity that CRUs support across the country. We appreciate your support as appropriators for USGS CRUs, and request your assistance in making inquiries to USGS, the Department of the Interior, and the Office of Management and Budget as to what is causing delays in allocating appropriated funds and how they can be resolved. Additionally, we are concerned that ongoing hiring freezes jeopardize the already minimal staffing at the units that could leave certain units without staff given the increased vacancies due to Reductions in Force efforts, retirements and departures, even if the funding issue is resolved. Thank you again for your support, and for your assistance with this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
American Fisheries Society
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
National Wildlife Federation
Society for Conservation Biology North America
The Wildlife Society, Inc.
