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HR 281

CONDOLENCES: Expresses the condolences of the House of Representatives on the death of Lillian Boutte

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Matt Willard

Reissue the 2017 GYE grizzly delisting rule within 180 days, waiving normal procedures and removing judicial review, shifting management to state wildlife agencies.

Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.
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Bill Summary · HR 281

Summary — H.R. 281 (119th Congress) — "Grizzly Bear State Management Act"

Note: Several unrelated resolutions and state/local bills have also been assigned the number H.R. 281 in various jurisdictions. This summary addresses the federal H.R. 281 as reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources (H. Rept. 119‑328), which concerns the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear population.

Purpose

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to reissue, within a set timeframe, the 2017 final rule that removed the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) population of grizzly bears from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife (82 Fed. Reg. 30502; June 30, 2017).

Key provisions

  • Reissuance requirement: The Secretary must reissue the 2017 final delisting rule not later than 180 days after enactment.
  • Broad administrative waiver: The reissuance is to occur “without regard to any other provision of law that applies to the issuance of that final rule,” effectively directing reissuance outside usual procedural requirements applicable to rulemaking.
  • No judicial review: The reissuance (and the reissuance provision itself) is explicitly made not subject to judicial review.

Background (from committee report)

  • Grizzly bears in the lower 48 were listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1975; the GYE has been a defined recovery area.
  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) previously delisted GYE grizzlies (2007; overturned by court), again proposed and issued a delisting rule in 2017 (later set aside by a court in 2018).
  • FWS later denied a Wyoming petition to delist in 2025 and proposed consolidating multiple recovery areas; sponsors argue states’ conservation efforts justify reissuance of the 2017 delisting.

Who would be affected

  • Federal agencies: FWS/Department of the Interior would be directed to reissue the delisting rule.
  • State governments (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) and their wildlife agencies: would gain primary management authority over GYE grizzlies if delisting is reissued and takes effect.
  • Conservation organizations, hunters, outdoor recreation interests, and the public: would be affected by changes to protections, management regimes, and potential state-regulated activities (including hunting where allowed by state plans).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: Jan 9, 2025 (Rep. Harriet Hageman, R–WY).
  • Committee markup: July 15, 2025 (Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute adopted; committee roll call 20–19 on reporting).
  • Reported (amended) by House Natural Resources Committee: Oct 3, 2025 (H. Rept. 119‑328); placed on Union Calendar Oct 3, 2025.
  • If enacted, the Secretary must reissue the 2017 rule within 180 days of enactment; that reissuance is not subject to judicial review.

Potential implications

  • Would effectuate federal delisting of the GYE grizzly population and shift primary management to states with existing management plans.
  • The waiver of other legal requirements and the judicial review bar raise significant questions about administrative process, legal oversight, and the ability of courts to review impacts on species conservation and related regulatory obligations.
  • Could influence federal‑state cooperation incentives for future species recovery efforts.

Sponsors and related legislation

  • Sponsor: Rep. Harriet M. Hageman (R–WY). Cosponsors include Ryan Zinke, Pete Stauber, Russ Fulcher, Troy Downing, among others.
  • Related/companion bill: S. 316 (Senate).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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