Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

Mr. Chairman, today, I rise in support of H.R. 2822, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2016.

It is no secret that the EPA is out of control. I think everybody across this great land knows that. A few weeks ago, the EPA issued their final rule to redefine

waters of the U.S., completely ignoring the will of the House and stakeholders all across America.

Under this rule change, waters of the U.S. would now include smaller bodies of water and even some dry land. In fact, this new definition would extend the EPA's regulatory reach to seemingly any body of water, including that water puddled in your ditch after a rain storm. Yes, you heard me right.

I have heard from small-business owners, farmers, Realtors, and homebuilders in my district; and they are all concerned about the negative impact this rule could have--and rightly so. This rule is so broad that it could very well require them to get permission from a Federal bureaucrat before acting on their own property.

I commend Chairman Calvert and the other members of the committee for including language in this appropriations bill to prohibit any funds from being used to implement this new rule.

I am proud to support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

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