Cramer Encourages Wotus Repeal, Regulatory Reform in Final Farm Bill

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer, a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee, supports regulatory reforms in the final legislation, including a repeal of the 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule to ensure producers greater certainty and provisions to protect public health.

Cramer, citing the harmful effects of the WOTUS enacted during the Obama Administration, has consistently supported all measures the House of Representatives has used as a vehicle to repeal the rule. Cramer said it is important the Senate agrees to removing this rule in the new Farm Bill. The current Farm Bill is set to expire at the end of this month.

As a member of the Congressional Western Caucus, Cramer shared the following comment in its release urging repeal of the WOTUS rule in the Farm Bill, "There have been very few regulations in recent history more detrimental to agriculture, energy, and development in North Dakota than the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. rule. The House-passed Farm Bill rolled back this burdensome rule and included other reasonable regulatory reforms that all Members can get behind."

He supported a letter sent by 51 members of the Western Caucus to fellow Farm Bill Conferees advocating for a total repeal of WOTUS. The letter outlines the cumbersome regulations posed by WOTUS on farmers and ranchers, many who have reached out to Cramer on the issue.

In addition, Cramer has heard from North Dakota stakeholders and public health officials who support other regulatory reforms in the Farm Bill. One is legislation Cramer led in the House-passed version of the bill. H.R. 2921, the National Forest System Vegetation Management Pilot Program Act, which creates a privately funded pilot program to conduct limited and selective vegetation management near utility infrastructure outside of a right-of-way under a gross negligence liability standard to improve energy reliability and reduce wildfire risk. The House bill included a number of other forestry provisions to improve forest health and critical response.

Cramer has also heard from North Dakota public health officials concerned over their ability to carry out mosquitoes control efforts to help protect the public from diseases they carry. He has supported removing duplicative permitting for pesticides already approved for use under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act since the 113th Congress to this Congress which was included in the House passed Farm Bill.

"There's resistance, in particular from Senate Democrats, to these important regulatory reforms tied to North Dakotan's health and I urge Members to negotiate in good faith," said Cramer. "Whether its provisions allowing for more active forest management to reduce wildfire risk and protect North Dakota's air quality or control of mosquitos to help protect us from West Nile virus or other diseases it seems unthinkable we can't get to a deal on these provision from the House Farm Bill."

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