Graves Applauds T&I Committee Passing Bill to Block "Waters of the U.S.' Rule

Press Release

U.S. Representative Sam Graves released the following statement after the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee approved legislation prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing its proposed "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) rule. Rep. Graves, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, helped introduce the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act on Monday, April 13.

"I am pleased that the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee took action to advance this important piece of legislation," Rep. Graves said. "I have been pushing this Administration to withdraw its Waters of the U.S. rule since it was first proposed, and Wednesday's vote was another important step in the fight to hold the White House accountable for its out of control regulatory agenda."

"The EPA, and any other federal agency for that matter, cannot simply regulate what Congress has refused to legislate," Rep. Graves continued. "I look forward to moving this bill through the House and working with my colleagues in the Senate to get it to the President's desk."

The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted 36-22 to advance the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, which would force the Obama Administration to withdraw WOTUS. The rule threatens to allow the EPA to regulate bodies of water on private lands.

Since being enacted in 1972, the CWA has been hugely successful in helping to improve the quality of our water in this county. However, the CWA was originally written as a collaborative partnership between the states and the federal government. The Regulatory Integrity Protection Act will protect this partnership and ensure the CWA continues to serve its intended purpose for all Americans.

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