{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-applauds-trump-administrations-proposed-rule-to-update-wotus-definition", "Capito Applauds Trump Administration\u2019s Proposed Rule to Update WOTUS Definition", "2025-11-17", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "WV", "Shelley Moore Capito", "C001047", "www.capito.senate.gov", "capito", "https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, applauded the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) announcement of a proposed rule to modify the definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to align with the Supreme Court\u2019s 2023 Sackett vs. EPA decision.\n\n\u201cI applaud the Trump EPA\u2019s proposed rule to make the regulatory definition of waters of the United States consistent with the text of the Clean Water Act. This proposal takes an important step toward providing a clear and legally-sound framework that aligns with the Supreme Court\u2019s Sackett decision and right-sizes federal jurisdiction. I appreciate the Trump EPA\u2019s effort to take public input in developing this proposal, including by holding a listening session in Charleston to allow West Virginians the opportunity to share their perspectives.\n\nThe proposed rule ensures that only wetlands with a true, continuous connection to jurisdictional waters fall under federal oversight. This action will reduce unnecessary burdens and bring predictability to the landowners, farmers, energy producers, and builders who rely on understandable and workable regulations, while continuing to protect our nation\u2019s water. Today\u2019s announcement is welcomed news, and I look forward to the final WOTUS rule in the coming months,\u201d Chairman Capito said.\n\nHISTORY OF CAPITO\u2019S ACTIONS ON WOTUS:\n\nIn March 2025, Senator Capito issued a statement applauding EPA\u2019s work to begin the public comment process on key elements of the agencies\u2019 future rulemaking to the definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS).\n\nIn October 2023, Senator Capito participated in an EPW Committee hearing on the aftermath of the Supreme Court striking down President Biden\u2019s overreaching, illegal WOTUS rule.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Capito issued a statement expressing her disappointment that the Biden WOTUS rule was clear regulatory overreach despite the Supreme Court soundly rejecting its \u2018waters of the United States\u2019 definition in Sackett v. EPA.\n\nIn March 2023, the U.S. Senate passed Senator Capito\u2019s Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval that overturns President Biden\u2019s overreaching WOTUS rule by a vote of 53-43.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Capito led 45 senators and 154 House members on an amicus curiae brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in the pending case Sackett v. EPA. In May 2023, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the petitioners and significantly narrowed the authority the federal government has over states and private citizens to regulate \u201cwaters of the United States\u201d at the expense of states and private citizens under the Clean Water Act (CWA).\n\nIn September 2022 and again in May 2023, Senator Capito led her Republican colleagues in introducing comprehensive federal regulatory permitting and project review reform legislation that would have codified the Trump administration\u2019s NWPR definition of \u201cwaters of the United States\u201d under the Clean Water Act.\n\nIn February 2022, Senator Capito led her Republican colleagues on the EPW committee in a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor specifically requesting the Biden administration immediately halt plans to finalize a novel definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act until after the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling in Sackett v. EPA.\n\nIn November 2021, Senator Capito issued a statement expressing her dismay at the announcement of the first step in EPA\u2019s two-step process to replace the Trump administration\u2019s 2020 NWPR and promulgate a new definition of WOTUS.\n\nIn August 2021, Senator Capito sent a letter to EPA Administrator Regan and Jaime Pinkham, the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, asking for a more complete and comprehensive stakeholder engagement process regarding repealing and replacing NWPR. Specifically, Senator Capito requested an extended public comment period for receiving recommendations.\n\nThat letter followed Senator Capito\u2019s previous letter requesting additional clarity on the basis for the decision to repeal and replace NWPR and yet another letter, which she led her Republican colleagues on the committee in sending, requesting increased transparency into the process of repealing NWPR.\n\nIn July 2021, Michael Connor, President Biden\u2019s nominee to lead the Corps, admitted he wasn\u2019t aware of any specific environmental degradation under NWPR.\n\nSenator Capito, along with Senators Cramer, Lummis, Inhofe, and Wicker, also introduced legislation in July 2021 that would codify NWPR.\n\nIn February 2021, the Senate passed an amendment introduced by Senator Capito that upheld the Trump administration\u2019s NWPR.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "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://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-applauds-trump-administrations-proposed-rule-to-update-wotus-definition"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.017712987959385, "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"}