I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9283 
To reform the process for listing a species as threatened or endangered 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 2, 2024 
Mr. PFLUGER (for himself and Mr. ARRINGTON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To reform the process for listing a species as threatened 
or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘21st Century Wildlife 
Enhancement and Partnership Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CANDIDATE CONSERVATION AGREEMENT.— 
The term ‘‘Candidate Conservation Agreement’’ 
means a formal, voluntary agreement between the 
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Service and 1 or more parties to address the con-
servation needs of— 
(A) a candidate species; or 
(B) a species that may become a candidate 
species in the near future. 
(2) CANDIDATE
CONSERVATION
AGREEMENT 
WITH
ASSURANCES.—The term ‘‘Candidate Con-
servation Agreement with Assurances’’ means a 
Candidate Conservation Agreement that provides in-
centives for persons that are parties to the Can-
didate Conservation Agreement to engage in the vol-
untary conservation activities described in the Can-
didate Conservation Agreement. 
(3) CANDIDATE
SPECIES.—The term ‘‘can-
didate species’’ means a species that is under consid-
eration for listing as threatened or endangered 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(4) CONSERVATION
BENEFIT
AGREEMENT.— 
The term ‘‘Conservation Benefit Agreement’’ means 
a conservation benefit agreement described in the 
final rule of the Service entitled ‘‘Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Enhancement of 
Survival and Incidental Take Permits’’ (89 Fed. 
Reg. 26070 (April 12, 2024)). 
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(5) ESTABLISHED
CONSORTIUM.—The term 
‘‘established consortium’’ means a State-based or 
multi-State-based group of individuals or organiza-
tions that— 
(A) is established as of the date of enact-
ment of this Act; 
(B) operates under a functioning, as deter-
mined by the individuals or organizations that 
are parties to that consortium— 
(i) conservation or recovery plan; or 
(ii) conservation, recovery, or planning 
documents; and 
(C) is an ongoing partnership organized 
principally for the conservation of a species that 
is not listed, or a species that is proposed to be 
listed, under the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(7) SERVICE.—The term ‘‘Service’’ means the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(8) SPECIES.—The term ‘‘species’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 3 of the Endan-
gered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1532). 
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