Alaska Dispatch by Alex DeMarban.  State officials called Alaska’s much-awaited oil and gas lease sale a qualified success on Wednesday, noting that the state took in $21 million as 19 groups entered bids.

Tuesday, the Committee held an oversight hearing to examine how excessive Endangered Species Act (ESA) related litigation impacts species recovery, job creation and the economy. This was the first hearing in series that will be held by the Committee to take a fair look at the ways in which the ESA is working well and areas where it could be improved and updated. "The purpose of the ESA is to recover endangered species – yet this is where the current law is failing – and failing badly. Of the species listed under the ESA in the past 38 years, only 20 have been declared recovered. That’s a 1 percent recovery rate. I firmly believe that we can do better… Improvements can be made so it’s no longer abused through lawsuits and instead can remain focused on fulfilling its true and original goal of species recovery," said Chairman Hastings.