To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to expand the exemption process under section 7 of that Act with respect to national security and significant adverse national or regional economic impacts.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 3845 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3845 To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to expand the exemption process under section 7 of that Act with respect to national security and significant adverse national or regional economic impacts. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 9, 2025 Mr. Gray (for himself and Mr. Costa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to expand the exemption process under section 7 of that Act with respect to national security and significant adverse national or regional economic impacts. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF EXEMPTION PROCESS UNDER SECTION 7 OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973. Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536) is amended-- (1) in subsection (g)-- (A) in paragraph (1), to read as follows: ``(1)(A) A Federal agency, the Governor of the State in which an agency action will occur, if any, or a permit or license applicant may apply to the Secretary for an exemption for an agency action of such agency if, after consultation under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary's opinion under subsection (b) indicates that-- ``(i) the agency action would violate subsection (a)(2); or ``(ii) a modification or reasonable and prudent alternative necessary for the agency action to comply with subsection (a)(2) may-- ``(I) impair national security; or ``(II) result in significant adverse national or regional economic impacts. ``(B) An application for an exemption shall be considered initially by the Secretary in the manner provided for in this subsection, and shall