House Natural Resources Committee

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

RESCUE Whales Act and legislation to reverse Endangered Species protections for several species

1334 Longworth
Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:30:00 GMT

On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. EDT in room 1334 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.J. Res. 29 (Rep. Mann), 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; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segment”;
  • H.J. Res. 46 (Rep. Bentz), Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Marine Fisheries Service relating to “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat”.
  • H.J. Res. 49 (Rep. Stauber), 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 for Northern Long-Eared Bat”; and
  • H.R. 1213 (Rep. Grijalva), “Restoring Effective Science-based Conservation Under Environmental laws protecting Whales Act of 2023” or the “RESCUE Whales Act of 2023”.

Hearing memo

Witnesses:

Panel I
  • Member witnesses TBA
Panel II
  • Gary Frazer, Assistant Director for Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (H.J. Res. 29, H.J. Res. 46 and H.J. Res. 49);
  • Rick Horton, Executive Vice President, Minnesota Forest Industries, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (H.J. Res. 49);
  • Fred Flippance, Board President, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Hines, Oregon (H.J. Res. 46);
  • Robert Fischman, Professor of Law, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana (H.J. Res. 29, H.J. Res. 46 and H.J. Res. 49) (Minority witness)
  • Don Hineman, Past President, Kansas Livestock Association, Dighton, Kansas (H.J. Res. 29)
Panel III:
  • Sam Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Maryland (H.J. Res. 46 and H.R. 1213);
  • Norman Semanko, Chief Counsel, Family Farm Alliance, Boise, Idaho (H.J. Res. 46);
  • Dr. Michael J. Moore, Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (H.R. 1213) (Minority witness)
  • Curt Brown, Marine Biologist, Ready Seafood, Cape Elizabeth, Maine (H.R. 1213);
  • Ginny Olsen, Political Director, Maine Lobstering Union, Stonington, Maine (H.R. 1213)