{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-paul-stands-kentucky-farmers-and-cattlemen-opposition-biden-administrations-new-and/", "Dr. Paul Stands with Kentucky Farmers and Cattlemen in Opposition to the Biden Administration\u2019s New and Expansive WOTUS Rule", "2021-11-29", "2021", "2021-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 29, 2021\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement on the Biden administration\u2019s new and expansive waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that was quietly issued just over a week ago.\n\n\u201cKentucky\u2019s farmers and agricultural industry suffered when the Obama administration implemented its burdensome WOTUS rule, and now the Biden administration has chosen to follow in their footsteps by appeasing the far left\u2019s priorities over the economic well-being of farmers across America. Their new rule essentially reverts to pre-2015 standards, which regulates every puddle and ditch in America, and further intrudes on Americans\u2019 private property rights and the Constitution\u2019s limits on federal power,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nThe Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation and Kentucky Cattlemen\u2019s Association also released the following statements on the ruling:\n\n\u201cFarm families have always been on the forefront of good stewardship when it comes to natural resources, and certainly taking care of their water supplies is paramount. But as the EPA proposes to return to the pre-2015 interpretation of WOTUS, we need to have some clear directions on the definition of navigable waterways that are not subject to change with every new administration,\u201d said Mark Haney, President of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation.\n\n\u201cCattlemen depend on clean water for the health of our livestock and the sustainability of our operations. We know the importance of protecting and maintaining traditionally navigable waters and abutting wetlands, however, jurisdiction over prior converted cropland, stock ponds, and agricultural ditches is an unnecessary burden to livestock producers,\u201d said the Kentucky Cattlemen\u2019s Association.\n\nBackground:\n\nRecently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quietly issued its proposed rule re-writing the definition of \u201cwaters of the United States,\u201d commonly referred to as WOTUS. After promising to listen to the concerns of the farming community, the EPA introduced its rule before finishing consultations with the agriculture industry. The proposed rule harkens to the pre-2015 Obama standards with even less certainty over which waters are covered and is already facing opposition from agriculture groups such as the American Farm Bureau Federation.\n\nThe regulation would also repeal the Trump Administration\u2019s Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), which was applauded by the agriculture industry as a step in the right direction, and is similar to Dr. Paul\u2019s Defense of Environment and Property Act which he reintroduced in July.\n\nYou can read more about Dr. Paul\u2019s Defense of Environment and Property Act HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"]], "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.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-paul-stands-kentucky-farmers-and-cattlemen-opposition-biden-administrations-new-and/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7333612777292728, "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"}