Several organizations representing agricultural interests have expressed appreciation for the Congressional effort to overturn the Biden Administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The Congressional Review Act joint resolution has now been approved by both houses of Congress as of last week. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the effective WOTUS repeal was approved by a vote of 227-198. The U.S. Senate also approved the resolution with a vote of 53-43.
“A majority of Congress has now told EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers that this overreaching rule will lead to more uncertainty for America’s farmers and ranchers,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a press release. “Farmers and ranchers are committed to protecting the land and water they rely on to grow food for America’s families. Unfortunately, the 2023 WOTUS threatens the progress made to responsibly manage natural resources. We urge President Biden to recognize the concerns from members of both parties and rescind this troubled rule.”
Several other ag groups voiced similar support for the WOTUS repeal, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. However, despite bipartisan support of the legislation, President Joe Biden has indicated his intention to veto the measure.
“The bipartisan passage of this resolution sends a clear message to the Biden administration that this is not how Congress intended to implement the Clean Water Act,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson. “Now, President Biden has a choice: he can sign the resolution and pull back the unlawfully vague WOTUS rule, or he can veto it and turn his back on rural America.”
There are also multiple other ongoing efforts to override the latest WOTUS rule. A federal judge recently granted an injunction of the rule in Idaho and Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court is also expected to issue its decision on WOTUS in the Sackett v. EPA case in the coming months.
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