Skip to main content
EnglishEspañol

All bills

Bill would ease Endangered Species Act rules for landowners and states

Floor activityH.R. 1897Latest action

Sponsor: Bruce Westerman · Representative · AR

AIDecoded by AI · checked against the record
Read the official text

Official title: ESA Amendments Act of 2025

119th Congress

Topics: Environment & energy

Introduced:

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

In plain words

The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.

HR 1897 would loosen Endangered Species Act restrictions and limit lawsuits, easing rules for landowners and industry.

40-second read · 4 questions answered below

What does this do?

HR 1897 revises the Endangered Species Act by creating a prioritized "national listing work plan," locking in Trump-era regulatory definitions, and narrowing what counts as critical habitat. It also offers legal protections to landowners and states who voluntarily conserve species before listing, exempts some permits from NEPA review, and restricts lawsuits and court review of agency decisions.

Who does it affect?

Landowners, ranchers, farmers, and developers with potential endangered species habitat are directly affected, along with federal wildlife agencies like Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries. State and tribal governments, conservation groups, and energy, mining, and construction industries needing permits are also affected.

Why does it matter?

The changes would reduce regulatory requirements and legal exposure for landowners and industries while narrowing habitat protections and limiting court challenges to agency decisions on species listings.

AI-drafted summary. Check it against the official text before you act on it.

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

Make the call

Three steps: where you stand, your script, the call.

Where do you stand?

Where does it stand?

  1. IntroducedMar 6, 2025
  2. House committee
  3. House voteYou are here · Apr 20, 2026
  4. Senate
  5. The president's desk

Right now: the House has taken floor action on it, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.

Latest action: — Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1189 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4690, H. Res. 1182, H.R. 1897 and H.R. 5587. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4690, H. Res. 1182, H.R. 1897, and H.R. 5587 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 4690, H.R. 1897, and H.R. 5587.

Data as of October 9, 2026
See how a call works

Share this bill

Share on WhatsApp

How it's being covered

Coverage of this bill from across the press. Each outlet's political lean is labeled where AllSides has rated it, and marked "Not rated" where it has not.

Newest of these articles:

Lean labels describe the news outlet, not this bill or any party. Ratings by AllSides.