Press Releases

Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted in favor of a Congressional Review Act to reverse the EPA's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule implemented by the Biden administration.

"The federal government was once again overstepping its bounds by implementing a devastating WOTUS rule to manage ponds and puddles a thousand miles from the D.C. swamp," said Rep. Estes. "I was pleased to help introduce this Congressional Review Act that reins in Washington and its desire to micromanage every aspect of our lives. Entrenched bureaucrats sitting in a cubicle in Washington shouldn't be dictating water management to farmers and ranchers who work and conserve their private property in Kansas."

The EPA's WOTUS rule will impact farm ditches, agricultural ponds and isolated wetlands found in and near farms and ranches across the country. Rep. Estes has been a consistent voice against the overreaching WOTUS rule and outlined how its implementation will cause harm to Kansas ag producers. He was an original cosponsor of this CRA – H.J. Res. 27, which passed 227 to 198. Nine Democrats joined all but one Republican in voting in favor of the CRA.

A CRA resolution allows an expedited process for the House and Senate to review federal regulations and, upon passage, revoke the regulation. In order to overturn a federal regulation, the resolution must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president, or receive a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber to override a president's veto.