Hagedorn, Miller-Meeks WOTUS Amendments Blocked by House Democrats

Press Release

Today, House Democrats blocked two amendments to the Minibus Appropriations package offered by Representatives Jim Hagedorn (MN-01) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) that would have prevented funds from being used to repeal, revise, or replace the Trump Administration's Navigable Waters Protection Rule, known as WOTUS.

The amendments were cosponsored by 94 House Republicans and was supported by the National Association of Home Builders. Hagedorn and Miller-Meeks released the following statements after Democrats blocked the amendments:

"Rejecting these amendments is another affront to regular order and what we've all come to expect from Speaker Pelosi," said Congressman Hagedorn. "But let's face it -- House Democrats blocked our amendment to maintain the Trump Administration's commonsense approach to regulating America's navigable waters because Biden and the Democrats intend to placate extremist environmentalists and issue a WOTUS rule that will usurp property rights and give the EPA the power to shut down and harass small businesses, farmers, and many others.

"Democrats did this because they would rather carry water for an out-of-touch Biden Administration as opposed to fighting on behalf of America's farmers and ranchers. The Trump Administration's WOTUS rule scaled back a number of burdensome regulations on inland waterways. By not protecting WOTUS, Democrats continue to fight a war on agriculture, preferring to overregulate America's rural communities out of existence."

"I am disappointed to see that our commonsense amendment to protect the rights of farmers, homeowners, ranchers, and builders was blocked. Under the 2015 WOTUS Rule, the federal government would have authority to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa," said Miller-Meeks. "The 2020 NWPR is much more workable and keeps our water and land clean without destroying businesses in the process. I will continue to fight against government overreach to support Americans' rights to use their land how they see fit."

"NAHB believes attempts by the Biden administration to roll back the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) is misguided," said Chairman Chuck Fowke. "NWPR restored common sense to the regulatory process by respecting states' rights, protecting important water bodies and making the federal permitting process more affordable and predictable."

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