Stauber Applauds Committee Passage of the ESA Amendments Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted on a bipartisan basis to advance H.R. 1897, the ESA Amendments Act of 2025, a critical package of reforms to the Endangered Species Act led by Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). This legislation takes a targeted approach to fix what has been broken for decades with the Endangered Species Act.

“The Committee’s passage of the ESA Amendments Act is a major step toward fixing a broken law that has failed to recover species while burdening rural Americans,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “For too long, the ESA has kept recovered species like the gray wolf listed in perpetuity, putting Northern Minnesota families and children at risk. This bill restores the focus on actual recovery, and brings common sense and transparency to the process. I am proud the legislation includes my amendment that helps to ensure federal agencies coordinate with state, local, and tribal governments when making listing decisions and ensures local input is taken into account.”

Background: The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 reforms the Endangered Species Act by restoring scientific integrity to species listing and critical habitat designation, emphasizing recovery through state management pathways and linking progress to regulatory relief. It streamlines permitting with clear guidelines, defines "best available science" to prevent bias, requires feasible and economically minimal project modifications, prohibits judicial review during post-delisting monitoring to block activist interference, and prevents unauthorized use of the ESA for broad regulations, aligning with recent Supreme Court rulings.

Watch Congressman Stauber's full remarks HERE.

###