Armed Forces Endangered Species Exemption Act

This legislation, titled the "Armed Forces Endangered Species Exemption Act," significantly amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to reduce its applicability to military activities and lands. Its core purpose is to prioritize national defense operations by broadening exclusions and exemptions from the Act for defense-related purposes. The bill specifically prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from designating critical habitat on military installations or other lands used by the Department of Defense, if the Secretary of Defense deems them necessary for military training or testing. It also exempts the Secretary of Defense from certain consultation requirements with the Secretary of the Interior regarding agency actions on these areas. Furthermore, the legislation establishes new exclusions from the Act's prohibitions against the taking, damaging, or destroying of endangered or threatened species. These exclusions apply to military personnel engaged in "national defense-related operations," which are broadly defined to encompass military research, testing, training, and any action deemed necessary by the Secretary of Defense to support the Department's mission.