Providing for Consideration of H.R. Supporting Transparent Regulatory and Environmental Actions in Mining Act; Providing for Consideration of S.J. Res. Providing for Congressional Disapproval of A Rule Submitted By the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act; and Providing for Proceedings During the Period From January Through January 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and passage of S.J. Res. 22, which provides congressional disapproval on EPA's extreme overreach with their waters of the U.S. rule.

Last June, the EPA published its final orders of the U.S. rule that would virtually give them authority over any place water flows or accumulates. This would include driveways, ditches, manmade ponds, and even our watered lawns.

Currently, private and public entities spend an average of $271,000 and wait an average of 788 days to obtain permits from the EPA for projects currently under its jurisdiction. Expanding EPA's authority in this unprecedented way would be extremely devastating to landowners, especially farmers, and make devastating statistics even worse.

With this bill, Congress would nullify this ridiculous rule and continue to provide Americans with personal control over their property. Property is not an asset that can be taken control of on the whim of a government agency. Property rights are an essential natural right of every American, and this fact has been embedded in our country's DNA since its beginning.

I urge my colleagues to support this rule and S.J. Res. 22 so we can prevent this terrible law from infringing on the natural rights of all Americans.

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