Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the chairman for his work on this issue.

Mr. Chairman, there is a simple truth that exists at all times and in every place: the bigger the government, the smaller the citizen. That is especially true when it comes to regulations. When the bureaucracy makes more rules, those rules limit the freedom and opportunities of real people--people who are just trying to work hard, make a living, and support themselves and their families.

Frankly, the EPA has crossed the line with this proposed water rule. It has crossed the line constitutionally, and it has crossed a line by hurting people and threatening their livelihoods and private property.

Let me tell you a story about a place back in my district called Sandy Creek. It is named Sandy Creek for a reason; it has been dry for over 30 years. With the drought in California, there is no time soon that water is coming.

Now, long before this proposed rule that would expand the EPA's power even more, the EPA tried to regulate Sandy Creek. That would have added more costs to the people who owned the land. It would have meant more paperwork, Federal permits, compliance, and Federal regulators snooping around.

It took me years to finally get the EPA to stop. Do you know how I got them to stop? I had to have an individual come to Taft, California, get in my car, drive out, and walk in Sandy Creek, throughout the sand, before he believed there was no water to regulate.

Mr. Chairman, can you imagine what the EPA would try and do if they even had more authority to regulate things outside their jurisdiction?

These are the actions of an administration that is unaccountable and that doesn't care about the freedom and prosperity of its citizens. This is an administration that cares more about regulation than reform, that cares more about power than it does about people.

The House is going to pass a bill to stop this rule, this abuse of power. We are going to stop this regulation for all of the hard-working Americans who are tired of this Agency's power grabs just for the sake of power.

We are going to try to do it for all who wish they could have control over their own lives. The EPA doesn't need any more power, Mr. Chairman, the people do.

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