Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1979 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to redefine the term irresolvable conflict to mean, with respect to any action authorized, funded, or carried out by a Federal agency, a set of circumstances under which completion of such action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of an endangered or threatened species. Extends from 120 days to 225 days the period of time following the date of publication of any emergency regulation, set forth by the Secretary of Interior to carry out the purpose of this Act, that such regulation shall have force and effect unless the rulemaking procedures which apply to such regulation are complied with. Allows the Secretary of the Interior to rescind an emergency regulation during the 225-day period if it is determined on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available that substantial evidence does not exist to warrant the continuation of such regulation. Requires the Secretary of the Interior, within 90 days after it is determined that any Federal agency action is likely to jeopardize the existence of a species for which a regulation has been proposed recommending the listing of such species as an endangered species or if such action is likely to adversely modify such species habitat, to: (1) publish in the Federal Register a final regulation adding such species or critical habitat to the endangered species list; or (2) withdraw the proposed regulation recommending such listing. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish guidelines to ensure that such action is administered as efficiently and effectively as possible; and (2) submit an annual report to Congress on the development and operation of such guidelines. Requires any Federal agency which desires to obtain a permanent exemption, from the provisions of the Act, to conduct a biological assessment for the purposes of identifying any listed or proposed endangered or threatened species which is likely to be affected by such action.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 18, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 18, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
ROBIN BEARD (R-TN) introduced it on July 18, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on July 18, 1979, 17221 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17221 days ago, on July 18, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers