Committee to Consider Bill Preventing EPA Regulatory Power Grab
Three-Year Coast Guard Authorization & Other Measures to be Considered
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to mark up several measures on Thursday, including a bill to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from dramatically and illegally expanding federal power to regulate water and land use under the Clean Water Act.
This bill (H.R. 4965) will prohibit the Obama Administration from attempting to skirt proper federal rulemaking procedures by finalizing or implementing EPA and Corps Clean Water Act “guidance” in order to significantly broaden the scope of federal jurisdiction under the Act. “Any agency efforts to expand the federal government’s regulatory reach must be done with transparency under the Administrative Procedures Act – not the unlawful, backdoor conversion of publicly unvetted agency guidance into de facto federal regulation,” said bill sponsor and Full Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL).
In addition to Chairman Mica, the bipartisan bill is also sponsored by Full Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), Agriculture Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), and 58 other Members.
The Committee will also consider the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Authorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 5887). This is a three-year reauthorization of the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2013-2015. Although the House approved a three-year Coast Guard bill last year, the Senate has not yet acted on it. Introduced by Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), the bill authorizes funds for the Coast Guard through fiscal year 2015, it also provides greater parity in authority between the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard on certain personnel procedures, and a 1.7 percent military pay raise in FY 2013.
The Committee will also consider a bill to authorize funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Marine Debris Program, which addresses the adverse impact of marine debris on the economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety.
In addition, the Committee will take up GSA Capital Investment and Leasing Program resolutions, two bills to name U.S. courthouses, and the Committee’s summary of legislative and oversight activities report.
WHAT: Markup of the Full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to consider:
• H.R. 4965, A bill to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States, and for other purposes
• H.R. 5887, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Authorization Act of 2012
• H.R. 1171, Marine Debris Act Reauthorization Amendments of 2011
• H.R. 3742, To designate the United States courthouse located at 100 North Church Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico, as the "Edwin L. Mechem United States Courthouse"
• H.R. 4347, To designate the United States courthouse located at 709 West 9th Street in Juneau, Alaska, as the "Robert Boochever United States Courthouse"
• General Services Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program Resolutions
• Summary of Legislative and Oversight Activities Committee Report
WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 7, 2012
WHERE: 2167 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
A live webcast of Thursday’s markup will be available here.
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