ESA Amendments Act of 2025
Official title: To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to optimize conservation through resource prioritization, incentivize wildlife conservation on private lands, provi… Show full official titleShow less
Official title: To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to optimize conservation through resource prioritization, incentivize wildlife conservation on private lands, provide for greater incentives to recover listed species, create greater transparency and accountability in recovering listed species, streamline the permitting process, eliminate barriers to conservation, and restore congressional intent.
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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.
ESA Amendments Act of 2025
This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Endangered Species Act and generally narrows protections provided under the act.
The bill directs the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to submit a National Listing Work Plan that establishes a five-year schedule and plan for addressing listing of endangered or threatened species and designation of critical habitats for such species. Under the plan, the bill gives the Services flexibility on the timing of acting on listing petitions and eliminates the requirement for the Services to act within 12 months on listing petitions.
The bill limits what land may be designated as critical habitat for an endangered or threatened species.
It also limits protections provided to threatened species and allows a state to regulate the recovery of such species if the Services determine the state's proposed recovery strategy would conserve the species.
The bill provides statutory authority for Conservation Benefit Agreements, which allow private landowners to voluntarily enter agreements to reduce threats to candidate species in exchange for being allowed to continue their operations if the species is later listed.
The bill also modifies the permitting process for certain other voluntary conservation agreements, including by exempting incidental take permits (e.g., permits to harm or kill a species) from environmental review requirements.
The bill also makes a variety of other changes to the act, including limiting consultation requirements, judicial review, and awards for attorneys’ fees in certain cases.
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
- Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
- SOUTHERN COMPANY
- ELEVATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, LLC
- ELEVATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, LLC
- SAVE THE MANATEE CLUB
- DGSR LLC
- CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
Bodies those filers lobbied
- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
- SENATE
- Interior, Dept of (DOI)
- Agriculture, Dept of (USDA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Treasury, Dept of
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)
- White House Office
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1897: ESA Amendments Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-1897/
"H.R. 1897: ESA Amendments Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-1897/.
H.R. 1897, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-1897/.
[H.R. 1897: ESA Amendments Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-1897/)