[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H1057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                  RESTORING LIMITS OF CLEAN WATER ACT

  (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, last month, the EPA 
announced the new navigable waters rules that would replace the 
disastrous waters of the U.S. proposal.
  I strongly support this rule, which will finally restore the limits 
of the Clean Water Act, providing farmers, ranchers, and landowners 
true clarity on the law's reach.
  To help bring more certainty to farm producers, I recently introduced 
with my friend, Representative Collin Peterson, H.R. 5799, the Bridging 
Responsible Agricultural Conservation Efforts Act of 2020, which 
addresses wetland determinations under the Clean Water Act.
  Under current law, EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, and USDA are tasked 
with such determinations on farmlands. However, farmers have 
experienced confusion and undue burdens for decades due to the 
discoordination between the agencies when making such determinations. 
This bill will foster cohesion between the agencies and clarify what 
defines normal farming practices.
  Modernizing modern farming practices and clearly defining converted 
croplands will bring long-overdue certainty to this process.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this legislation, which is a win 
for our Nation's farmers and ranchers.

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