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119-hr-180119th Congress

Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]

In Committee

Summary

Expanded public transparency for the science behind listings and the federal money spent on Endangered Species Act (ESA) litigation. The bill would require agencies to publish the data that support listing decisions, broaden the types of government data counted as the “best scientific and commercial data available,” and create a public, searchable database of ESA litigation expenditures.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Public and state access to ESA data

If enacted, the Secretary would post the scientific and commercial data used for each ESA listing, including proposals. Before any listing decision, affected States would get the data. Agencies would also have to consider data sent by States, Tribes, and counties. States could ask to withhold data barred by their laws. Within 30 days of enactment, an agreement with DoD would protect classified information.

Track ESA lawsuit spending online

If enacted, Interior would send Congress a yearly report within 90 days after each fiscal year on ESA lawsuits. The agency would keep a public, searchable website updated monthly. It would list case names with links, claims, agencies and plaintiffs, money spent by account, attorneys’ fees, and staff time. It would also show when federal funds helped pay for a lawsuit.

New rules for ESA attorney fees

If enacted, courts and agencies would award ESA attorney fees using general federal fee laws (28 U.S.C. 2412 and 5 U.S.C. 504). This could raise fees in some cases and lower them in others. The change would affect who pays and who gets paid in ESA cases.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]

CA • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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