WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and all Senate Republicans in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to prevent the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from enforcing a rule that expands federal regulation over certain bodies of water, including wetlands, streams and more. The rule makes the power grab by establishing a new definition for the ‘Waters of the United States’ (WOTUS) that will negatively affect land owners small and large in addition to businesses across the state.
“The Biden administration’s latest move is just another example of its effort to seize more power for Washington bureaucrats and placate woke activists. If Congress does not stop the EPA’s power grab, Louisiana’s farmers, oil producers and land owners will suffer crushing and unfair regulation of their private properties. Their businesses could even face legal punishment,” said Kennedy.
“With its overreaching navigable waters rule, the Biden administration upended regulatory certainty and placed unnecessary burdens directly on millions of Americans. This Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval will give every member of Congress the chance to stand with farmers, ranchers, landowners, and builders, and protect future transportation, infrastructure, and energy projects of all kinds in their states. I appreciate the widespread support we’ve received in both the Senate and House, and across the country, as we fight to place an important check on this misguided overreach from the Biden administration,” said Capito.
Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) is leading the resolution in the House of Representatives.
Background:
- In 2015, the Obama-Biden administration finalized a rule expanding the definition of WOTUS.
- In 2020, the Trump administration finalized a rule undoing the previous administration’s regulations.
- In December 2022, the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a final rule on WOTUS to regulate traditional navigable waters, the territorial seas, interstate waters and upstream water resources in compliance with the Clean Water Act of 2015.
Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) cosponsored the CRA joint resolution.