Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status With Critical Habitat for Guadalupe Fatmucket, Texas Fatmucket, Guadalupe Orb, Texas Pimpleback, Balcones Spike, and False Spike, and Threatened Species Status With Section 4(d) Rule and Critical Habitat for Texas Fawnsfoot".
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Official Summary
Official summary has not been imported yet.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This House Joint Resolution (HJRES 169) from the 118th Congress proposes congressional disapproval of a rule issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The rule in question pertains to the designation of endangered and threatened species status, including critical habitat protections, for several freshwater mussel species native to Texas: Guadalupe Fatmucket, Texas Fatmucket, Guadalupe Orb, Texas Pimpleback, Balcones Spike, False Spike, and Texas Fawnsfoot. The resolution seeks to nullify the USFWS rule that classifies some of these species as endangered and others as threatened, along with associated critical habitat designations and Section 4(d) protections for the Texas Fawnsfoot. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources but ultimately failed or expired without further action. No full text or official summary of the bill is available in the source data.
HJRES 169 aimed to overturn a USFWS rule protecting several Texas freshwater mussel species as endangered or threatened, but the resolution did not advance beyond committee referral and expired.
- The bill targets a USFWS rule designating endangered and threatened status and critical habitat for multiple Texas freshwater mussel species.
- It uses the congressional disapproval process under chapter 8 of title 5, U.S. Code, to nullify the administrative rule.
- The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources on June 21, 2024, and did not proceed further, resulting in failure or expiration.
['Stakeholders opposing the endangered and threatened species designations, potentially including certain landowners, developers, or industries in Texas affected by habitat protections.', 'The United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as the bill challenges their regulatory authority but also highlights their role in species protection.']
['The resolution could affect the implementation of species conservation measures and critical habitat protections established by the USFWS.', 'Potential tradeoffs between environmental protection goals and land use or economic interests in affected areas.', 'The use of the congressional disapproval process may raise questions about the balance of authority between Congress and federal agencies in environmental regulation.']
HJRES 169 fits within ongoing legislative oversight and review of federal environmental regulations, specifically those under the Endangered Species Act. The bill reflects congressional engagement with administrative rules issued by the USFWS concerning species protection and habitat designation. The referral to the House Committee on Natural Resources is standard procedure for such matters. The failure or expiration of the bill indicates it did not gain sufficient legislative traction during the 118th Congress.
Hidden impact flags detected: 2
GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.
['Potential reduction in regulatory constraints on land use and development in areas designated as critical habitat for the affected species.', 'Possible precedent for future congressional disapproval of environmental regulations, influencing agency rulemaking behavior.', 'Impacts on local biodiversity and ecosystem services due to changes in species protection status.']
The bill lacks an official summary and full text in the source data, limiting detailed analysis. Its referral to the House Committee on Natural Resources is typical for environmental legislation. The congressional disapproval process used is a formal mechanism allowing Congress to overturn agency rules, which has implications for the separation of powers and administrative law. Transparency around the rationale for disapproval and the potential environmental consequences is important for public understanding.
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