[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Congressional Republicans set stage for President Obama to issue an election-year veto to preserve his administration’s Clean Water Act rule[/title][fusion_text]Wednesday, January 13th 2016
Congressional Republicans have set the stage for President Obama to issue an election-year veto to preserve his administration’s Clean Water Act rule that is widely unpopular with farm groups. In a largely symbolic gesture, the House on Wednesday gave final congressional approval to a disapproval resolution that would eliminate the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule. Obama is certain to veto the measure. Republicans were unable to muster a two-thirds majority to approve the resolution in either chamber, and actually lost half the Democratic support that they had in the House on a previous anti-WOTUS measure. To the frustration of Democrats, the WOTUS resolution is one of a series of measures that Republicans have been forcing votes on to make a case to voters for keeping Congress in GOP hands and electing a Republican president this fall. The rule took effect last August but courts have put it on hold nationwide while legal challenges are considered. The House approved the resolution, 255-166, with the support of 12 Democrats. Twenty-four Democrats voted for a bill last spring that would have forced the administration to rewrite the rule. Senate Democrats successfully blocked that measure from moving in that chamber, but they couldn’t stop the disapproval resolution, which didn’t require the normal 60-vote margin to overcome a filibuster and was ultimately approved, 53-44. The White House issued a veto threat in November before the Senate vote. “Simply put, S.J.Res. 22 is not an act of good governance. It would sow confusion and invite conflict at a time when our communities and businesses need clarity and certainty around clean water regulation,” says the statement of administration policy. Republicans are running out of legislative options to stop the rule. Republicans wanted to add language to the fiscal 2016 omnibus spending bill that would have blocked enforcement of the rule should the court stays be lifted, but the White House refused to allow the provision. The resolution was drafted under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to reject major new regulations.
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