Arkansas Home Builders Association

On Tuesday, the Senate failed to secure the 60 votes needed to proceed to consideration of S. 1140, legislation that would have overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rulemaking. But it’s not all bad news. NAHB solidified the support of 58 Senators. Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.), along with all 54 Republican senators, voted in support of S. 1140. The Senate then took up the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution disapproving the WOTUS rule, which passed by a majority vote. Passage of the CRA would force the EPA to withdraw the rule. The Federation showed a strong, united front in responding to the call to action. Members ensured that NAHB’s voice was heard on Capitol Hill. Thousands of emails, letters, phone calls and personal appeals were made to Senate offices. “Our members’ efforts were critical to our outreach,” said NAHB...

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate yesterday would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing a proposed rule that could result in millions of acres of private property to be regulated as wetlands under the Clean Water Act. “NAHB strongly supports this legislative fix championed by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) that would prevent the agencies from greatly expanding the federal government’s role in regulating our nation’s waters,” said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods. “If this rulemaking were to go into effect, it would do little to help the environment and lead to a more costly permitting process, drive up the price of housing, infringe on states’ rights and hurt job growth.” EPA and the Corps’ proposal to significantly expand the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act is so broad that it could be interpreted to include almost any water body, such as ditc...