,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #eeia  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #ac1        
#bjbj,mr4 ,johnson of ,louisiana 7for   
himself1 ,mr4 ,gosar1 ,mr4 ,mc,clintock1
 ,mr4 ,crawford1 ,mr4 ,newhouse1 ,mr4   
,gianforte1 and ,ms4 ,cheney7 introduced
 the following bill2 which was referred 
to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,endangered  
,species ,act of #aigc to add           
requirements to the designation of areas
 as critical habitats1 and for other    
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,critical ,habitat  
,improvement ,act4  #b4 ,requirements   
for critical habitat designation  7a7   
,definition of critical habitat ,section
 #c7e7 of the ,endangered ,species ,act 
of #aigc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aecb7e77 is    
amended--  7#a7 by amending subparagraph
 7,a7 to read as follows3  7,a7 ,the    
term critical habitat for a threatened  
species or endangered species means--   
7i7 the specific areas of habitat within

 the geographical area occupied by the  
species1 at the time such species is    
listed in accordance with the provisions
 of section #d of this ,act1 that the   
,secretary determines have physical or  
biological features that--  7,i7 are    
essential to the conservation of such   
species2 and  7,,ii7 may require special
 management consideration or protection2
 or  7ii7 the specific areas of habitat 
outside the geographical area occupied  
by the species1 at the time such species
 is listed in accordance with the       
provisions of section #d of this ,act1  
that the ,secretary determines--  7,i7  
are essential for the continued survival
 of such species2  7,,ii7 are able to   
sustain occupancy by such species at the
 time of the determination described in 
this clause2 and  7,,iii7 have physical 
or biological features that-- 7aa7 are  
essential to the conservation of such   
species2 and  7bb7 may require special  
management consideration or protection4 
2 and  7#b7 by adding at the end the    

following3  7,d7 ,identification of     
features ,in making a critical habitat  
designation under section               
#d7;a77#c77;,a77i71 the ,secretary shall
 identify with specificity the          
constituent elements of any physical or 
biological features that form the basis 
for such designation4  4  7b7 ,priority 
for designating critical habitat        
,section #d7;a77#c7 is amended at the   
end by adding the following3  7,c7      
,priority for designating critical      
habitat ,the ,secretary may not         
designate habitat outside the           
geographical area occupied by the       
species as critical habitat unless such 
designation is necessary to ensure the  
continued survival of such species4  4