Graves Issues Statement After House Passes Legislation to Block 'Waters of the U.S.' Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Sam Graves issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed legislation prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing its proposed "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) rule on Tuesday night. Rep. Graves helped introduce the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act in the House last month.

"I am pleased to see the House of Representatives exercising our Constitutional authority to stop the President from implementing this harmful rule," Rep. Graves said. "I have been pushing the Obama administration to withdraw its Waters of the U.S. rule since it was first proposed. We still have work to do, but this bipartisan vote sends an important message that the White House will be held accountable for its out of control regulatory agenda," Rep. Graves continued.

The House of Representatives yesterday voted 261-155 to pass the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732), which would force the Obama Administration to withdraw WOTUS as it is currently written. The rule threatens to allow the EPA to regulate small bodies of water on private lands and family farms.

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