Steve Daines: “today the Senate came a few votes shy of passing legislation to protect our farmers, ranchers, and small business owners…”

“today the Senate came a few votes shy of passing legislation to protect our farmers, ranchers, and small business owners from major new costs and regulatory burdens. I appreciate the bipartisan support demonstrated today by four key Senate Democrats. I have to say, I am disappointed that others chose instead to put loyalty to President Obama before the concerns of the constituents, the concerns of those people they represent. Montanans know that this power grab has more to do with controlling Montanans' land-use decisions than ensuring access to clean water as the Clean Water Act intended. This is an ill-conceived rule that provides the EPA unprecedented power to regulate virtually any spot across Montana that is occasionally wet. This could have a devastating impact on Montana jobs, on Montana's natural resources and ag industries, and on Montanans' property rights. Don't just take my word for it. POLITICO recently described it as having the potential to ``give bureaucrats carte blanche to swoop in and penalize landowners every time a cow walks through a ditch.'' The EPA's own estimates show this rule will cost Americans between $158 million and $465 million a year.…”