Last month, the Obama Administration announced they would move forward with a rule that redefines the “Waters of the United States” to potentially include any body of water, no matter how small or how temporary. This new definition would extend the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory reach to seemingly any body of water– including that water puddled in your ditch after a rain storm.
This controversial rule is opposed by at least 32 states, farm families, realtors, home-builders, small business owners, as well as countless others. More than one million public comments have been submitted, the vast majority of which were in opposition to the rule. I have talked with business leaders, farmers, and private citizens and they all agree: this rule is bad for business in Southeastern North Carolina.
Acting on behalf of the American people, the House passed the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732) with a bi-partisan vote of 261-155. This bill required the EPA to scrap their proposed rule and start anew by engaging stakeholders at the local level and taking their concerns into account before issuing additional rules.
Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has decided to ignore the will of the American people and move forward with the rule anyway, giving the federal government unprecedented authority to regulate virtually any place where water stands or flows, even temporarily. We are now all subject to the arbitrary whims of unelected bureaucrats. The American people should be heard – not dismissed.
Earlier this week, I introduced the Don’t Ignore the Will of the American People Act (H.R.2599). This bill would defund the Office of the Administrator of the EPA until the new rule is withdrawn. My message is simple: listen to the American people and withdraw the rule.
About Author
