Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on seven bills covering a wide variety of issues, including Endangered Species Act (ESA) reforms, species management improvements, water resource support and the elimination of regulatory delays. Subcommittee Chairman U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today’s Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee hearing examined seven bills, many of which deal with overreach by the Biden administration in how it is implementing the Endangered Species Act. My constituents know all too well how the heavy hand of federal regulations administered under the ESA can cripple local economies, eliminate jobs, and harm species. I will continue to work with my subcommittee colleagues to provide proper oversight of Biden administration’s actions and look forward to moving these bills forward through the committee process."

Background

H.R. 520, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), would amend the ESA by requiring the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce to not distinguish between naturally propagated (born in the wild) and artificially propagated (born through artificial means) species.

H.R. 5103, the Fishery Improvement to Streamline Untimely Regulatory Hurdles Post Emergency Situation Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), would create timelines for the Office of Management and Budget to review fishery disaster requests.

H.R. 5504, introduced by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), would require the withdrawal of three Biden administration rulemakings that consolidate power in the hands of the Biden administration and remove vital regulatory certainty for stakeholders, which were proposed on June 22, 2023, dealing with the implementation of the ESA.

H.R. 5874, the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), would reauthorize appropriations for the United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act, which helps assess pressing water resource challenges along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

H.R. __, introduced by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), gives the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) additional time to conduct studies and utilize the best available science on Rice’s whales and to engage with the regulated community when updating environmental documents for the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas program.

H.R. 2990, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), expands coverage of NOAA's Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy to include observers and voting members and staff of regional fishery management councils.

H.R. 5509, the Electronic Permitting Modernization Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), would require the Secretary of the Interior to create and use an electronic system to accept and process applications for permits, forms and other paperwork.