{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-funding-protecting-great-lakes-cuts-spending-epa", "House Passes Funding for Protecting the Great Lakes, Cuts Spending on the EPA", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "MI", "John Moolenaar", "M001194", "moolenaar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the House of Representatives passed legislation appropriating federal funding through the rest of the federal governments fiscal year which ends on September 30, 2016.\nRepresentative John Moolenaar (R-Midland) voted for the legislation and released the following statement:\nTodays compromise legislation provides $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to protect the Lakes and the $7 billion economy they support. In February, the Obama Administration proposed a $50 million cut for the GLRI and I questioned the budget director about this issue. Through the bipartisan work of members from Great Lakes states, this proposed cut has been reversed.\nIn recognition of the EPAs overreach with the Waters of the U.S. rule and other burdensome regulations, this bill cuts EPA spending by $452 million. This freezes the EPAs staffing level at the lowest point in 25 years and forces the agency to focus on its environmental cleanup mission instead of imposing more unnecessary regulations on Michigan residents.\nThe legislation strengthens the federal governments commitment to national security. It increases funding for border security and for protecting the nations electric grid from cyberattacks. It also makes changes to the visa waiver program and requires visitors to America who have traveled to terrorism hotspots to undergo rigorous background checks before entering the country.\nHighlights of the Legislation\nThe legislation:\n Provides full funding, $100 million, for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beam research at Michigan State University.\n\tProvides $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.\n\tProvides $7.9 million in funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service to continue its efforts against the spread of Asian carp.\n\tCuts funding for the EPA by $452 million.\n\tProhibits the EPA from enforcing the Clean Water Act on farmers.\n\tHolds the EPAs staffing level at the lowest point in 25 years.\n\tProhibits the EPA from regulating lead content in ammunition and fishing tackle.\n\tProvides $2.7 billion, an increase of $173 million, for processing the disability claims backlog at the VA. This will support 770 additional staff members to process claims.\n\tExpands whistleblower protections for VA medical staff to report wrongdoing.\n\tIncreases funding to protect the American electric grid from cyberattacks.\n\tReforms the visa waiver program to protect Americans from terrorists trying to enter the country.\n\tReauthorizes funding for the 9/11 First Responders Program which provides health benefits to first responders, residents and survivors of 9/11.\n\tProvides a $2 billion increase to the National Institutes for Health for research on cancer and Alzheimers.\n\tDelays the Affordable Care Acts tax on high-cost employer-sponsored insurance (the Cadillac tax) until 2020.\n\tDelays the menu labeling requirements of the Affordable Care Act, which would be a burden on small businesses, until 2017.\n\tRepeals the country of origin labeling law that was a burden to farmers.\n Maintains all federal pro-life policies including a prohibition on federal funds paying for abortion.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-funding-protecting-great-lakes-cuts-spending-epa"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.838706899434328, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}