The Pet and Livestock Protection Act removes Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the lower 48 states except for the Mexican wolf subspecies. It reissues the November 2020 delisting rule that was vacated by federal court in 2022. The bills reissuance is explicitly exempt from judicial review, preventing legal challenges.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
The Pet and Livestock Protection Act removes Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the lower 48 states except for the Mexican wolf subspecies. It reissues the November 2020 delisting rule that was vacated by federal court in 2022. The bills reissuance is explicitly exempt from judicial review, preventing legal challenges.
Last updated: 1/4/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill directs the Department of the Interior to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, the bill requires Interior to reissue the final rule titled <em>Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife</em> and published on November 3, 2020.</p><p>The rule removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States, except for the Mexican wolf (<em>C. l. baileyi</em>) subspecies, from the endangered and threatened species list. However, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the rule on February 10, 2022. As a result, the gray wolf reattained the protection status it had prior to the rule's promulgation.</p><p>The bill also prohibits the reissuance of the rule from being subject to judicial review.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Removes gray wolf ESA protections in lower 48 states
Reissues 2020 delisting rule vacated by court
Exempts Mexican wolf subspecies
Prohibits judicial review of the action
Allows state management of wolf populations
Responds to livestock and pet concerns
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would permanently delist gray wolves from endangered species protection over scientific and legal objections. The 2020 rule was overturned by courts finding it premature, but this legislative action bypasses that judicial review. Ranchers and hunters support state management of recovered wolf populations. Conservation groups argue federal protection remains necessary in some regions and that blocking judicial review sets a dangerous precedent for environmental law.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Environmental Protection
Related Subjects
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Interior
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental regulatory procedures
Mammals
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
845, 119th Congress (2025). "Pet and Livestock Protection Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-845
