On Wednesday, June 10, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-9 along party lines to advance a measure to kill the Obama administration's controversial water rule.
S.1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, requires the Obama administration to withdraw its recently finalized Waters of the U.S. rule and sets new criteria for how a future rule should be developed and what streams and wetlands should and shouldn't qualify for Clean Water Act protection. The bill passed on a party line vote and no Democrats crossed over to vote in favor of the bill. Several amendments were introduced, but none were accepted. A similar bill passed the House earlier this past May.
At this time, there is no time frame for when S. 1140 may move to the Senate floor for a vote. NAR will be working with the Waters Advocacy Coalition to develop a strategy to push for a vote on the Senate floor at some point over the summer.