"The House passed legislation Tuesday that would modify the Endangered Species Act.

Passed 233-190, the bill would require federal agencies to publish data they use to determine whether a species should be designated as 'endangered' or merely 'threatened.'

It would also direct the federal government to provide states with data used to make a decision on an endangered species before it issues a final ruling.

Additionally, the measure would require the Interior Department to report annually to Congress on the amount of money and staff spent on lawsuits related to enforcing the Endangered Species Act, which has been in place since 1973."

Cristina Marcos reports for The Hill July 29, 2014. [2]