WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 by a vote of 261 to 155. This legislation, cosponsored by Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01), would stop the burdensome Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule from being implemented. Proposed by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, the WOTUS rule would dramatically expand the Clean Water Act, imposing costly and uncertain new permitting requirements for standard farming, ranching and other business activities.
Following the bill’s passage, Huelskamp issued the following statement:
“I would like to commend my colleagues in the House for the passage of our bill. This is yet another example of our efforts to protect Americans from the EPA’s unprecedented power grab. Simply put, we cannot allow President Obama to bypass the legislative process and ignore Congress and the American people.
“This bipartisan legislation demonstrates that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working to limit D.C.’s growing over-regulation. This legislation would force the EPA to ditch the current interpretation of the Waters of the U.S. rule and create a more pragmatic, less intrusive replacement. The next step for reeling in the President’s overreach will be for Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans to send this bill to the President’s desk.
Time and time again, Washington bureaucrats have tried to regulate and control every drop of water in Kansas and elsewhere. Whether it is on our road ditches, farm ponds, prairie potholes, swimming pools, water tanks, or even rain puddles, their overreach must be stopped. I will continue to work to protect Kansas’ farmers and ranchers, municipalities, home builders and our other small businesses who have all vocalized strong opposition to the WOTUS rule.”