Washington – Following the Supreme Court of the United States’ (SCOTUS) decision in Sackett v. EPA, Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released this statement:
“The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Sackett v. EPA is a massive blow to unelected bureaucrats in Washington who for too long have been able to infringe on constitutional rights and inflict economic devastation on the American people. This decision strikes down the Biden administration’s WOTUS rule, which was always a power grab that threatened property rights for individuals, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses. Sackett, combined with multiple Congressional Review Act resolutions recently passed in Congress, should put federal agencies on notice: the American people will not tolerate the administrative state making up authority and undermining their freedoms.”
Background
Despite the pending Sackett case before SCOTUS, President Biden issued the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule through the Environmental Protection Agency and based the authority to do so on a questionable interpretation of the Clean Water Act. The rule sought to give the federal government regulatory authority over nearly every body of water in the United States.
Recognizing the grave threat to Americans’ constitutional rights and to the economy, Congress acted swiftly to disapprove the rule using a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution. The House of Representatives, on a bipartisan basis, passed a CRA on March 9. The House was followed closely by the Senate, which passed the CRA on March 29. Unfortunately, President Biden defied the will of the people’s representatives and vetoed the CRA.
Had it not been for SCOTUS’ decision in Sackett v. EPA, the rule would have gone into effect.
Original source can be found here.
