Washington, DC (January 13, 2016) - Congressman Steve Pearce (NM-02) issued the following statement after the House passed S.J. Res. 22, the Congressional disapproval of the "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) Rule:
"This flawed rule threatens to disenfranchise farmers, ranchers, small business owners, and will cost thousands of jobs across the country.
"In my district, farmers and ranchers are rightly concerned that this rule will place small streams and natural and manmade ditches under federal jurisdiction. The rule allows Washington bureaucrats to regulate areas where water flows or accumulates in the United States, without the input of the farmers and landowners who are impacted the most," said Congressman Pearce.
"To make matters worse, the administration's actions on WOTUS are likely illegal. The rule itself has been stopped by two federal courts and the propaganda that the EPA used to promote it has likely violated the law. The people's Congress puts forward this resolution to block the EPA's overreach. I call on the President to respect the livelihoods of American citizens and put an end to this highly controversial rule," added Pearce.
The vote passed with bipartisan support: 253 – 166.
The resolution now heads to the President's desk for his signature.
Background:
WOTUS would allow waters traditionally off-limits to federal regulation – non-navigable ponds, streams and tributaries -- to be subjected to the dictates of the Environmental Protection Agency under a misapplication of the Clean Water Act.
- In October of 2015, a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the WOTUS rule from taking effect across the nation.
- In December of 2015, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Environmental Protection Agency violated federal law in promoting the rule.
