Sheila Jackson Lee: “I am here today to speak in strong opposition to the proposed legislation, H.R. 7023, the Creating Confidence in Clean…”

“I am here today to speak in strong opposition to the proposed legislation, H.R. 7023, the Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act. This bill would modify requirements under the well-established Clean Water Act, limiting the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority to regulate the discharge of pollutants into United States waters. If passed, it would represent a significant regression from over 50 years of well-established precedent regarding pollution prevention. Moreover, it would defy the overarching intent of the initial legislation, which was to provide for more agency oversight and accountability of industrial polluters, not less. I offered for consideration to the Rules Committee, the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 21, which sought to help ensure that any harmful impact, which would inevitably result from the passage of this dangerous bill, is documented, and reported to Congress. Specifically, the Jackson Lee Amendment No. 21 would have added the following language to the end of the bill text in H.R.…”