Fears are growing for endangered North Atlantic right whales as a key regulatory hurdle is cleared for a proposed conservation measure. According to reports, progress toward lifting a moratorium is gaining momentum, increasing scrutiny of what could happen next for the species’ protection. Both outlets say a vote by the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress is expected as early as this summer and is widely anticipated to pass. While the clearance of the moratorium is framed as an important step in the legislative process, the reporting emphasizes concern that changes in legal protections could affect whale conservation outcomes. The articles do not present new scientific figures in the excerpts provided, but they link the timing of the next congressional vote to heightened uncertainty for an already endangered population. Overall, the coverage centers on the legislative pathway—moratorium status now reaching a stage where congressional action is likely—against a backdrop of concern for the whales’ conservation prospects.