,,ii #aac? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #ai ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #bg1 #bjac ,mr4 ,cornyn 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,coburn1 ,mr4 ,rob]ts1 ,mr4 ,lee1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 ,mr4 ,flake1 ,ms4 ,murk[ski1 ,mr4 ,vitt]1 ,mr4 ,inh(e1 ,mr4 ,b>rasso1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 ,mr4 ,hat*1 & ,mrs4 ,fis*]7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,environm5t & ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to am5d ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc to e/abli% a proc$ure = approval ( c]ta9 settlem5ts4 #a4 ,def9itions ,section #c ( ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecb7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+-- 7,a7 p>agraphs 7#a7 ?r\gh 7#d7 z p>agraphs 7#b7 ?r\gh 7#e71 respectively2 7,b7 p>agraphs 7#e7 ?r\gh 7#aj7 z p>agraphs 7#g7 ?r\gh 7#ab71 respectively2 & 7,c7 p>agraphs 7#ab7 ?r\gh 7#ba7 z p>agraphs 7#ac7 ?r\gh 7#bb71 respectively2 7#b7 by add+ be=e p>agraph 7#b7 7z s r$esignat$7 ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,affect$ p>ties ,! t]m affect$ p>ty means any p]son1 includ+ a bus9ess entity1 or any ,/ate1 tribal gov]nm5t1 or local subdivision ! rights ( :i* may be affect$ by a det]m9ation made "u section #d7;a7 9 a suit br\ght "u section #aa7;g77#a77;,c74 2 & 7#c7 by add+ aft] p>agraph 7#e7 7z s r$esignat$7 ! foll[+3 7#f7 ,cov]$ settlem5t ,! t]m cov]$ settlem5t means a cons5t decree or a settlem5t agreem5t 9 an action br\ght "u section #aa7;g77#a77;,c74 4 #b4 ,int]v5tion2 approval ( cov]$ settlem5t ,section #aa7;g7 ( ! ,endang]$ ,species ,act ( #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aedj7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 p>agraph 7#c71 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3 7,c7 ,publi%+ compla9t2 int]v5tion 7i7 ,publi%+ compla9t 7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date on :i* ! pla9tiff s]ves ! def5dant ) ! compla9t 9 an action br\ght "u p>agraph 7#a77;,c7 9 accordance ) ,rule #d ( ! ,f$]al ,rules ( ,civil ,proc$ure1 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior %all publi% ! compla9t 9 a readily accessible mann]1 includ+ electronically4 7,,ii7 ,failure to meet deadl9e ,! failure ( ! ,secret>y to meet ! #cj-;day deadl9e describ$ 9 subclause 7,i7 %all n be ! basis = an action "u p>agraph 7#a77;,c74 7ii7 ,int]v5tion 7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,aft] ! end ( ! #cj-;day p]iod describ$ 9 clause 7i71 ea* affect$ p>ty %all be giv5 a reasonable opportunity to move to int]v5e 9 ! action describ$ 9 clause 7i71 until ! end ( :i* a p>ty may n file a motion = a cons5t decree or to dismiss ! case pursuant to a settlem5t agreem5t4 7,,ii7 ,rebuttable presumption ,9 consid]+ a motion to int]v5e by any affect$ p>ty1 ! c\rt %all presume1 subject to rebuttal1 t ! int]e/s ( t p>ty w\ld n be repres5t$ adequately by ! p>ties to ! action describ$ 9 clause 7i74 7,,iii7 ,ref]ral to alt]native dispute resolution 7aa7 ,9 g5]al ,if ! c\rt grants a motion to int]v5e 9 ! action1 ! c\rt %all ref] ! action to facilitate settlem5t discussions to-- 7,,aa7 ! m$iation program ( ! c\rt2 or 7,,bb7 a magi/rate judge4 7bb7 ,p>ties includ$ 9 settlem5t discussions ,! settlem5t discussions describ$ 9 item 7aa7 %all include ea*-- 7,,aa7 pla9tiff2 7,,bb7 def5dant ag5cy2 & 7,,cc7 int]v5or4 2 7#b7 by /rik+ p>agraph 7#d7 & ins]t+ ! foll[+3 7#d7 ,litigation co/s 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b71 ! c\rt1 9 issu+ any f9al ord] 9 any suit br\ght "u p>agraph 7#a71 may aw>d co/s ( litigation 7includ+ reasonable attorney & exp]t witness fees7 to any p>ty1 :5ev] ! c\rt det]m9es su* aw>d is appropriate4 7,b7 ,cov]$ settlem5t 7i7 ,cons5t decrees ,! c\rt %all n aw>d co/s ( litigation 9 any propos$ cov]$ settlem5t t is a cons5t decree4 7ii7 ,o!r cov]$ settlem5ts 7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,= a propos$ cov]$ settlem5t o!r ?an a cons5t decree1 ! c\rt %all ensure t ! cov]$ settlem5t does n include paym5t to any pla9tiff = ! co/s ( litigation4 7,,ii7 ,motions ,! c\rt %all n grant any motion1 includ+ a motion to dismiss1 bas$ on ! propos$ cov]$ settlem5t describ$ 9 subclause 7,i7 if ! cov]$ settlem5t includes paym5t to any pla9tiff = ! co/s ( litigation4 2 & 7#c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3 7#f7 ,approval ( cov]$ settlem5t 7,a7 ,def9ition ( species ,9 ?is p>agraph1 ! t]m species means a species t is ! subject ( an action br\ght "u p>agraph 7#a77;,c74 7,b7 ,9 g5]al 7i7 ,cons5t decrees ,! c\rt %all n approve a propos$ cov]$ settlem5t t is a cons5t decree unless ea* ,/ate & c\nty 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior believes a species occurs approves ! cov]$ settlem5t4 7ii7 ,o!r cov]$ settlem5ts 7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,= a propos$ cov]$ settlem5t o!r ?an a cons5t decree1 ! c\rt %all ensure t ! cov]$ settlem5t is approv$ by ea* ,/ate & c\nty 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior believes a species occurs4 7,,ii7 ,motions ,! c\rt %all n grant any motion1 includ+ a motion to dismiss1 bas$ on ! propos$ cov]$ settlem5t describ$ 9 subclause 7,i7 unless ! cov]$ settlem5t is approv$ by ea* ,/ate & c\nty 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior believes a species occurs4 7,c7 ,notice 7i7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior %all provide ea* ,/ate & c\nty 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior believes a species occurs notice ( a propos$ cov]$ settlem5t4 7ii7 ,det]m9ation ( relevant ,/ates & c\nties ,! def5dant 9 a cov]$ settlem5t %all consult ) ea* ,/ate describ$ 9 clause 7i7 to det]m9e ea* c\nty 9 :i* ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior believes a species occurs4 7,d7 ,failure to respond ,! c\rt may approve a cov]$ settlem5t or grant a motion describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b77ii77,,ii7 if1 n lat] ?an #de days aft] ! date on :i* a ,/ate or c\nty is notifi$ "u subp>agraph 7,c7-- 7i7 7,i7 a ,/ate or c\nty fails to respond2 & 7,,ii7 ( ! ,/ates or c\nties t respond1 ea* ,/ate or c\nty approves ! cov]$ settlem5t2 or 7ii7 all ( ! ,/ates & c\nties fail to respond4 7,e7 ,pro( ( approval ,! def5dant 9 a cov]$ settlem5t %all prove any ,/ate or c\nty approval describ$ 9 ?is p>agraph 9 a =m-- 7i7 acceptable to ! ,/ate or c\nty1 z applicable2 & 7ii7 sign$ by ! ,/ate or c\nty (ficial au?oriz$ to approve ! cov]$ settlem5t4 4