Fight over Water Rule Moves to the Senate
The House approved a measure to rescind the administration’s controversial proposed rule redefining “Waters of the U.S.” By a vote of 261-155, the House passed H.R. 1732, which would require EPA and the Corps to withdraw the regulatory proposal within 30 days and then set up a consultation process with state and local stakeholders as well as industry and small businesses in an effort to craft a new, better rule.
The overall vote count roughly mirrors that of a similar measure last year, which was approved 262-152. Fewer Democrats crossed the aisle this time, with only 25 who voted in support of the bill as opposed to 35 last year, but there are also fewer Democrats in the House following last November's elections and stiffer opposition from Democratic leadership on the heels of a veto threat by the administration.
The fight over the water rule now moves to the Senate, where Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) recently introduced S. 1140, which would identify criteria that any new Clean Water Act rule would have to meet, with the effect of forcing the Obama administration back to the drawing board to rewrite the current rule so it complies with the new criteria.
For more information, please contact Scott Berry at (703) 837-5321 or berrys@agc.org.