Congress blocks rule narrowing endangered species protections
S.J.Res. 204 — A joint resolution 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 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration relating to "Rescinding the Definition of 'Harm' Under the Endangered Species Act". · Filed by Adam Schiff (D-CA) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Aug 3, 2026 · Reported out
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This resolution disapproves a federal rule that would have narrowed the definition of 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, effectively blocking the rule and preserving the broader protections that currently exist. Congress is using its power to reject a regulatory change that would have weakened protections for endangered and threatened species.
Why we flagged it
This is a Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolution that blocks a regulatory action weakening endangered species protections. It is a straightforward procedural tool to preserve existing environmental law.
What the text implies
- Disapproving this rule does not prevent the agencies from proposing a revised narrowing rule in the future, only this specific rescission of the 'harm' definition.
- The resolution's success depends on Senate passage and potential House action; if it fails, the narrowed definition takes effect unless challenged in court.
- Preserving the broader 'harm' definition may increase regulatory compliance costs for industries affecting habitat, but this is the intended public-interest trade-off.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens benefit from preserved environmental protections and the continued legal framework protecting endangered species, which supports ecosystem health, biodiversity, and long-term public welfare. The resolution prevents a regulatory rollback that would have weakened species protections.
Named in the bill
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Endangered Species Act, Congress, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Where it stands
2 cosponsors: 2 Democrats.
- Aug 3, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Aug 3, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works”
- Sep 15, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged, by petition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 802(c)”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (1,369 characters) on Sep 17, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 14,206 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-09-17.
“Congress blocks rule narrowing endangered species protections” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/sjres204 Report an error