H.R. 1662: Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2003-04-08 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 479.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2003-04-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 479. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004

Plain summary

Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to direct the Secretary of the Interior, when required to use the best scientific and commercial data available or the best scientific data available in determining that a species is an endangered or threatened species, to: (1) ensure that such data complies with specified guidelines and includes timely field survey data to the extent such data is available; and (2) give greater weight to scientific and commercial data that is empirical or that has been field-tested or peer-reviewed. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations that establish criteria for selecting and using such data. Prohibits the Secretary from determining that a species is endangered or threatened unless the determination is supported by timely field data. Requires the Secretary to include in the rule-making record of such a determination data collected by real property owners or persons holding or applying for contracts, leases, or other permits for real property. Requires the Secretary to publish, with notice of a proposed or final regulation, a description of additional scientific and commercial data that would assist in the preparation of a recovery plan. (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to: (1) solicit recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences and the governors of affected States for qualified individuals to serve as independent reviewers for "covered actions" (defined to include proposed listings, delistings, or reclassifications of endangered or protected species, the development of recovery plans, and jeopardy determinations); and (2) appoint from such list three individuals who shall report to the Secretary on the scientific information and analyses on which a covered action is based. Requires: (1) the Secretary to transmit to the independent reviewers all available scientific and commercial data in the administrative record with regard to an action; and (2) the reviewers to provide the Secretary with their response within three months of such transmission. Directs the Secretary to: (1) publish notice of the draft determination regarding data on which a final determination will be based and provide an opportunity for public comment following receipt of the reviewers' response; and (2) include in the final determination a summary of each independent review (and, if reviewers' recommendations are rejected, an explanation for that decision). (Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary, when consulting with a Federal agency to determine whether agency action will jeopardize an endangered or threatened species or destroy the critical habitat of such species, to: (1) actively solicit and consider information provided by governors of States where the agency action is located; (2) provide governors of States otherwise affected by such action with an opportunity to submit information; and (3) allow any person who has sought agency authorization or funding for an action to participate in related consultations and to make related comments or other information publicly available.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Walden, Greg [R-OR-2] · 66 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1662, Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004 (2004-08-17); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1662, Endangered Species Data Quality Act of 2004 (2004-08-17)

Cosponsors on this site

Michael K. Simpson (R-ID), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Ken Calvert (R-CA) and 6 more.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Public comment: A chance for anyone to tell a government agency what they think about a proposed rule or plan before it is final. Agencies must consider the comments they receive.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr1662.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr1662 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108