Sponsors (6)
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Changes the name of the existing law that protects threatened and endangered species from the "Endangered Species Act of 1973" to the "Endangered Species Recovery Act." It also says any legal, regulatory, or official reference to the old name should be read as referring to the new name, preserving continuity of meaning. This change is purely nominal and does not alter any substantive rights, duties, programs, funding, or enforcement provisions in the law — it simply updates the statute's name and directs that existing references continue to apply to the renamed law.
Amend the first section of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by striking the name "Endangered Species Act of 1973" and inserting the name "Endangered Species Recovery Act."
Provide that any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the "Endangered Species Act of 1973" shall be deemed to be a reference to the "Endangered Species Recovery Act."
Who is affected and how:
Wildlife and conservation outcomes: No direct change to protections, recovery obligations, or legal standards for listed species. Biological protections remain governed by the same statutory text.
Federal agencies (e.g., wildlife management and environmental regulatory agencies): Must update statutory citations, regulations, guidance documents, websites, and forms to use the new statutory title. The statute explicitly preserves continuity of references, so agencies' legal authorities and duties are unchanged.
State governments, Tribal governments, and local partners: Administrative updates to materials and intergovernmental agreements may be required; substantive responsibilities and cooperative frameworks remain intact.
Environmental advocates, regulated parties (industry, developers, landowners), and courts: Should treat prior legal citations to the old title as referring to the new title; litigation and compliance obligations continue unchanged. Attorneys, judges, and regulators will rely on the provision to avoid legal confusion.
Public and educational materials: Outreach, educational publications, and public-facing resources need revision to reflect the new name; costs are likely modest and administrative in nature.
Overall effect: The change is primarily symbolic and administrative. It preserves legal continuity to avoid disruptions in enforcement or interpretation but imposes modest one-time administrative updates across agencies and stakeholders. It does not change substantive environmental law, funding, or mandates.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced July 31, 2025 by Cynthia M. Lummis · Last progress July 31, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate