President Biden has gone against the will of Congress, vetoing the bipartisan Congressional Review Act (CRA) that called for overturning the EPA’s archaic 453-page Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which went into effect on March 20.
The vote from Michigan's congressional delegation fell along party lines, but Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate came together to send a strong message that the WOTUS rule goes too far, passing the measure 227-198 in the House and 53-47 in the Senate.
“This veto flies in the face of President Biden’s promise to support farmers and ranchers,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement.
“This rule is a clear case of government overreach that leaves farmers wondering whether they can farm their own land. It’s a shame the president is standing with bureaucrats instead of with the people who stock America’s pantries.”
While the congressional effort to block the new WOTUS rule doesn’t have enough votes to overturn a presidential veto, there’s still hope that a pending decision in the U.S. Supreme Court could help farmers get clarity.
The legal battle in that case of Sackett v. EPA centers on an Idaho couple’s plans to build a home near a lake and could carry major implications for the new WOTUS rule.
The rule has already faced legal scrutiny, with a U.S. District Court halting its implementation in Texas and Idaho.
“By vetoing this Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval, President Biden is ignoring the will of a bipartisan majority in Congress, leaving millions of Americans in limbo, and crippling future energy and infrastructure projects with red tape,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who introduced the resolution to overturn the new WOTUS rule.
“There’s a reason those who work in agriculture, building, mining, and small businesses of all kinds across America strongly supported our effort to block the Biden waters rule, and I’m disappointed the president chose to stand by his blatant executive overreach.”
Source: michiganfarmnews.com
Photo Credit: istock-BlackJack3D
Categories: Michigan, Energy, Government & Policy