Animals

HJRES 78: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the Longfin Smelt”.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the Longfin Smelt and published on July 30, 2024. The rule lists the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment of longfin smelt, a fish species of the Pacific Coast, as an endangered species. Thus, the joint resolution removes protection for the species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Sponsors

Doug LaMalfa (R) CA

Cosponsors

Ken Calvert (R) CA, Vince Fong (R) CA, Darrell Issa (R) CA, Young Kim (R) CA, Tom McClintock (R) CA, David Valadao (R) CA

Introduced on
Friday, March 21st, 2025

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HR 1684: PAST Act of 2025

Sponsors

Brian Fitzpatrick (R) PA

Cosponsors

Steve Cohen (D) TN, Vern Buchanan (R) FL, Janice Schakowsky (D) IL, Juan Ciscomani (R) AZ, Daniel Meuser (R) PA, Russ Fulcher (R) ID, Young Kim (R) CA, Michael Lawler (R) NY, Richard Neal (D) MA, Seth Magaziner (D) RI, Nick LaLota (R) NY, Maria Salazar (R) FL, Marilyn Strickland (D) WA, Eleanor Norton (D) DC, Bennie Thompson (D) MS, Kevin Mullin (D) CA, Mike Carey (R) OH, Donald Beyer (D) VA, Ro Khanna (D) CA, Chellie Pingree (D) ME

Introduced on
Thursday, February 27th, 2025

HR 776: Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025

Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2030 the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003, which allows the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance to states for (1) eradicating or controlling nutria, and (2) restoring marshland damaged by nutria. Nutria are invasive, semi-aquatic rodents.

Sponsors

Josh Harder (D) CA

Cosponsors

David Valadao (R) CA, John Garamendi (D) CA

Introduced on
Tuesday, January 28th, 2025

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HR 587: To remove the lesser prairie-chicken from the lists of threatened species and endangered species published pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and to amend that Act to exclude the lesser prairie-chicken from the authority of that Act.

This bill removes the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), including each of its distinct population segments, from the threatened and endangered species lists that are published under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Further, the bill prohibits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from designating such species as threatened or endangered, and thus, protecting such species under such act.

Sponsors

Tracey Mann (R) KS

Cosponsors

Stephanie Bice (R) OK, Ron Estes (R) KS, Jodey Arrington (R) TX, Dan Newhouse (R) WA, Frank Lucas (R) OK, Derek Schmidt (R) KS, Josh Brecheen (R) OK, Don Bacon (R) NE, Gary Palmer (R) AL, Scott Perry (R) PA, Wesley Hunt (R) TX, Tom McClintock (R) CA, Brian Babin (R) TX, Keith Self (R) TX, James Baird (R) IN

Introduced on
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025

S 171: A bill to remove the lesser prairie-chicken from the lists of threatened species and endangered species published pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, to amend that Act to exclude the lesser prairie-chicken from the authority of that Act, and for other purposes.

This bill removes the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), including each of its distinct population segments, from the threatened and endangered species lists that are published under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Further, the bill prohibits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from designating such species as threatened or endangered, and thus, protecting such species under such act.

Sponsors

Roger Marshall (R) KS

Cosponsors

James Lankford (R) OK, Markwayne Mullin (R) OK, Jerry Moran (R) KS

Introduced on
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025

S 85: Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

This bill establishes requirements to research and control the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death, which has killed more than a million native trees in Hawaii.

Specifically, the Department of the Interior must partner with the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii to control and address the fungus.

In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey must continue to research Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must continue to partner with Hawaii and local stakeholders to manage ungulates (e.g., certain mammals such as deer) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land.

Finally, the Forest Service must continue to provide (1) financial assistance to prevent the spread of the fungus and to restore the native forests of Hawaii, and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to research the fungus.

Sponsors

Mazie Hirono (D) HI

Cosponsors

Brian Schatz (D) HI

Introduced on
Tuesday, January 14th, 2025

HR 347: Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

This bill expands the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program to include separate grants to rescue sea turtles for the next seven years. The grants must be used for

  • the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled sea turtles;
  • responses to rescue stranded sea turtles;
  • the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded sea turtles for scientific research or health assessments;
  • facility operating costs that are directly related to activities to assist sea turtles; or 
  • development of stranding network capacity where facilities do not exist or are sparse.

In addition, the bill establishes the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund.

Sponsors

William Keating (D) MA

Cosponsors

Emanuel Cleaver (D) MO, Nancy Mace (R) SC, Seth Magaziner (D) RI, Andrew Garbarino (R) NY

Introduced on
Monday, January 13th, 2025

HR 375: Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

This bill establishes requirements to research and control Rapid Ohia Death, which is the disease caused by the fungal pathogen known as Ceratocystis fimbriata that affects the tree of the species Metrosideros polymorpha.

Specifically, the Department of the Interior must partner with the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Hawaii to control and address Rapid Ohia Death.

In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry must continue to research Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must continue to partner with USDA, Hawaii, and local stakeholders to manage ungulates (e.g., certain mammals such as deer) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land, with the consent of private landowners.

Finally, the Forest Service must provide (1) financial assistance to prevent the spread of the fungus and to restore the native forests of Hawaii, and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to research the fungus.

Sponsors

Jill Tokuda (D) HI

Cosponsors

Ed Case (D) HI

Introduced on
Monday, January 13th, 2025

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HR 349: Goldie’s Act

Goldie’s Act

This bill expands enforcement provisions under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to document and record detailed descriptions of violations of the act observed during inspections and investigations. USDA must provide a copy of all records documenting violations to state, local, and municipal animal control or law enforcement officials within 24 hours of such inspections or investigations.

Inspections must be held at least once a year of each research facility, the premises of each animal dealer, and each exhibitor of animals. If violations are found during inspections, then USDA must conduct any necessary follow-up inspections until all the violations are corrected. Inspectors must confiscate or destroy in a humane manner animals found to be suffering physical or psychological harm as a result of failure to comply with the AWA.

Violators are subject to civil penalties as outlined in the bill.

Sponsors

Nicole Malliotakis (R) NY

Cosponsors

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D) IL, Brian Fitzpatrick (R) PA, Mike Quigley (D) IL, Christopher Smith (R) NJ, Zachary Nunn (R) IA

Introduced on
Monday, January 13th, 2025

HR 130: Trust the Science Act

Trust the Science Act

This bill directs the Department of the Interior to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, the bill requires Interior to reissue the final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and published on November 3, 2020.

The rule removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States, except for the Mexican wolf (C. l. baileyi) subspecies, from the endangered and threatened species list. However, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the rule on February 10, 2022. As a result, the gray wolf reattained the protection status it had prior to the rule’s promulgation.

The bill also prohibits the reissuance of the rule from being subject to judicial review.

Sponsors

Lauren Boebert (R) CO

Cosponsors

None

Introduced on
Friday, January 3rd, 2025

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