Newhouse Introduces Amendment to Block Onerous WOTUS Rule

Press Release

Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced an amendment to the FY 2023 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill to block the Biden Administration from implementing the Obama-era "Waters of the United States" or WOTUS rule until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (Sackett) case. The amendment was blocked by House Democrats.

"The Obama-era Waters of the United States--or WOTUS--is more than just a logistical nightmare that's plagued the landowners, businesses, farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Central Washington and across the country for years. It calls into question whether farmers can even begin to work their land," said Rep. Newhouse. "I am proud to lead this effort to provide certainty for Central Washington and rural communities like it across the country so they can escape this government overreach and do what they do best: thrive."

Background:

On April 18, Rep. Newhouse (WA-04) led 64 of his Congressional Western Caucus Members, among the 155 House Republicans and 46 Senators, in filing an additional amicus brief in support of the petitioners in Sackett.

On April 14, Rep. Newhouse filed an amicus brief with Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) for the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (Sackett), which could determine the viability of the Obama-era "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) rule under the Clean Water Act.

On March 9, Rep. Newhouse, Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (MO-06), and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member David Rouzer (NC-07) led over 200 House Republicans--including every Member of the Western Caucus--in calling for the Biden Administration to drop its plan to expand the scope of "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) until Sackett v. EPA is decided by the Supreme Court.

In January, Rep. Newhouse and Rep. Miller-Meeks called on the Administration to halt the rulemaking process, based on the Supreme Court's decision to take up the Sackett case.

In March, Rep. Newhouse hosted Rep. Davis, Illinois Farm Bureau President Rich Guebert, and Charles Yates of the Pacific Legal Foundation, one of the contributing lawyers in the Sackett v. EPA case, to discuss the impacts WOTUS has on rural communities and potential implications of the Supreme Court decision.

When the Biden Administration announced their intention to revise and remand the Trump Administration's Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Rep. Newhouse, Rep. Miller-Meeks, Senator Steve Daines (MT), and Senator Joni Ernst (IA) led Western Caucus Members in a bicameral letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jaime Pinkham to express their serious concerns and demand answers about the Administration's plans to reopen the definition of "waters of the United States."

In November of 2021, Western Caucus Members from across the country issued statements in response to the Administration's proposed rule.

Source