[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 182 (Tuesday, December 15, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H9323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 EPA VIOLATES LAW WITH WOTUS PROMOTION

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week the Government 
Accountability Office, or GAO, found that the Environmental Protection 
Agency broke Federal laws by promoting its highly controversial waters 
of the United States rule.
  While I agree that the Clean Water Act needs clarifying, this rule 
would drastically expand Federal jurisdiction beyond the historical 
limits of the law and would apply to State and ephemeral waters. The 
rule would greatly increase the costs of permitting and trigger new 
environmental reviews and litigation.
  Thankfully, this disastrous rule was put on hold nationwide by a 
Federal Court ruling earlier this year. In its finding, the GAO said 
that this was an attempt by the EPA to spread ``covert propaganda'' by 
directing Internet users to the Web sites of environmental groups in 
support of the WOTUS rule.
  This illegal attempt to gain congressional support for the rule--and 
to sway public opinion--undermines the integrity of the rulemaking 
process, and it shows just how unprecedented this vast expansion of the 
EPA's power really is.

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