Bill for Rewrite of Water Jurisdiction Rule Approved Along Party Lines by Senate Panel

摘要

Legislation requiring the Obama administration to rewrite the recently released rule clarifying the scope of Clean Water Act jurisdiction based on flow of water was approved June 10 by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The committee voted 11-9 along party lines to send to the Senate floor the Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140). The bill was co-authored by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and backed by 33 Republicans, including committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and two Democrats-Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.).