House panel OKs rules to protect species in peril

WASHINGTON -- A House committee voted Wednesday to approve a Republican bill requiring scientists from outside government to review new federal designations of endangered species.

Republicans on the House Resources Committee were joined by one Democrat, Rep. Calvin Dooley of California, in approving the revision to the Endangered Species Act by a 21-18 vote.

The bill would require "sound science" when deciding on protections for species and habitat and establish a peer review process for adding or removing a species from the endangered list or for making a recovery plan.

It also would give the interior secretary and governors in affected states power in certain cases to pick the scientists to conduct a peer review.