[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 12 (Thursday, January 21, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ENERGY POLICY MODERNIZATION BILL AND WOTUS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, next week the Senate will turn to 
broad, bipartisan energy legislation. The Energy Policy Modernization 
Act will help bring our energy policies in line with the demands of 
today and the opportunities of tomorrow. It will help Americans produce 
more energy. It will help Americans pay less for energy. It will help 
Americans save energy. That is what the Energy Policy Modernization Act 
will do. Here is what the Energy Policy Modernization Act won't do: It 
won't raise taxes. It won't add a dime to the deficit.
  The broad Energy bill is a result of a truly bipartisan process, and 
it shows, which is why it was supported in committee by a vote of 18 to 
4.
  I look forward to debating the bipartisan Energy bill starting next 
week, but we won't have to wait until then to consider bipartisan 
legislation. We will consider a different bipartisan measure today. 
S.J. Res. 22 passed in November with the support of several Democratic 
colleagues, and it would have overturned the Obama administration's 
waters of the United States regulation.
  Here is what our Democratic colleagues have had to say about WOTUS: A 
Democratic Senator from West Virginia has used phrases such as 
``completely unreasonable'' and ``dangerously overreaching'' when 
discussing the issue. A Democratic Senator from North Dakota said that 
``there is not one single regulation in the entire country that has 
caused more concern'' in her State. A Democratic Senator from Indiana 
said it was ``incredibly important'' that the rule be rewritten. That 
is just what the Democrats are saying.
  The administration has tried to spin WOTUS as some kind of clean 
water measure, but a bipartisan majority of Congress understands it is 
really a Federal power grab clumsily masquerading as one. WOTUS would 
grant Federal bureaucrats dominion over nearly every piece of land that 
touches a pothole, ditch, or puddle. It would force the Americans who 
live there to ask Federal bureaucrats for permission to do just about 
anything with their very own property. That is why Congress sent 
bipartisan legislation to the President to overturn it. His decision to 
veto that bipartisan measure made a few things quite clear: No. 1, he 
apparently stands with Washington bureaucrats on this issue, not the 
American people. No. 2, he apparently thinks America's clean water rule 
should be based on Washington politics, not a scientific and truly 
collaborative process.
  It was good to see Democratic colleagues stand with the American 
people when we first passed this bill. I ask the rest of the Democratic 
caucus to join with us now to do the right thing. Vote with us to 
override a veto that is about Federal power grabs and Washington 
politics, not clean water and the American people.

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