This Week in Congress
Statement
Cutting Unnecessary Government Spending
This week, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) released its 2009 Congressional Ratings, highlighting the voting records of all 535 members of Congress. In 2009, CCAGW examined 120 votes in the House of Representatives and gave Members a score based on a 0 to 100 percent scale for fiscal responsibility. I was honored to be recognized as a "Taxpayer Hero" with a score of 94 percent. The federal government is broke and instead of spending more taxpayer dollars and burdening businesses with costly mandates, Congress should cut spending and focus on job creation. In Kansas, we have a constitutional requirement to balance the budget and I believe the federal government should have the same discipline. For more information on CCAGW's 2009 Congressional ratings, please visit: http://ccagwratings.org.
Preventing EPA from Imposing Redundant Regulations on Ag Producers
I joined Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), and five of my colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee this week to introduce H.R. 6087, which makes clear that agriculture producers, who are in compliance with Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requirements, do not need to obtain Clean Water Act permits for the use of pesticides. FIFRA provides the basis for regulation, sale, distribution and use of pesticides in the U.S.
Since passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, lawful pesticide applications regulated under FIFRA have been excluded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process. This long-standing practice was defended over nearly four decades and codified into law under the Bush Administration. In January 2009, however, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned this practice. Rather than defend its long-standing practice on appeal, the EPA made a deliberate decision to add to the growing regulatory burden on American businesses and agricultural producers. In doing so, EPA abandoned farm groups, who were forced to unsuccessfully pursue the appeal of the case on their own. It is now up to Congress to step in on behalf of farmers, ranchers, and businesses by upholding this long-standing practice.
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