( April 1, 2026, 1:46 PM EDT) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — After not meeting for more than 30 years, the Endangered Species Committee (ESC), also known as the “God Squad,” on March 31 voted unanimously to exempt all oil and gas production activities in the Gulf of Mexico from requirements to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued findings of fact on March 13 stating that oil production in the region is a matter of national security....