PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 4315: Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 4315: Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act

113th Congress · introduced 2014-03-27 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2014-03-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Hastings, Doc [R-WA-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 4 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 460 (2014): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR4315 (2014-07-29), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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 Transparency and Reasonableness Act

Plain summary

Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, to make publicly available on the Internet the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for the determination of whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species, including each proposed regulation for the listing of a species. Prohibits the appropriate Secretary from making the information publicly available when: (1) the public disclosure of the information is prohibited by a state law requiring the protection of personal information, and (2) the state requests that the information be withheld. Requires the appropriate Secretary to execute an agreement with the Department of Defense (DOD) that prevents the disclosure of classified information pertaining to DOD personnel, facilities, lands, or waters. (Sec. 3) Requires the appropriate Secretary to: (1) provide to affected states all data that is used as the basis of a determination on whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species before making a determination; and (2) use data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government in making such a determination. (Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit an annual report detailing federal expenditures for civil actions brought under the ESA containing claims that are based on the actions of the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, or the Southeastern Power Administration. Requires Interior to make the information available online in a searchable database. Requires the report to include the total funds expended to respond to ESA lawsuits, the number of full-time federal employees dedicated to ESA lawsuits, attorneys' fees awarded in the course of ESA lawsuits and settlements, and any federal funding used in bringing a claim under the ESA. (Sec. 5) Replaces the current standard for awarding court costs, including attorney's fees, in citizen suits with the federal judicial code standard for awarding costs to a prevailing party.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), 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 Transparency and Reasonableness Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hastings, Doc [R-WA-4] · 28 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY), Mark E. Amodei (R-NV), Andy Harris (R-MD), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), James Lankford (R-OK), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Jason Smith (R-MO)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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

Record fed-us-cong113-hr4315 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113