{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-votes-to-limit-federal-authority-over-waters-of-the-united", "Shimkus Votes to Limit Federal Authority Over Waters of the United States", "2014-09-09", "2014", "2014-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "John Shimkus", "S000364", "shimkus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman John Shimkus (R-Illinois-15) voted today in support of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Regulatory Overreach Protection Act. H.R. 5078 would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers from expanding their jurisdiction over lesser bodies of water never intended for regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA). \u00a0\n\u201cIn 1972, Congress gave EPA and the Corps jurisdiction over the \u2018navigable\u2019 waters of the United States,\u201d explained Shimkus. \u201cBut earlier this year, the Obama Administration set out to significantly expand that jurisdiction and allow the federal government to begin regulating everything from creeks and streams to ditches and man-made ponds. Since then I\u2019ve heard frequently from farmers and landowners around the district who say this outrageous power grab would put needless burdens on their families and threaten their right to make decisions about their property.\u201d\nThe WOTUS Regulatory Overreach Protection Act passed the House 262-152 and now awaits consideration in the Senate. More information on the bill can be found HERE.\u00a0\n###", 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": ["http://shimkus.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shimkus-votes-to-limit-federal-authority-over-waters-of-the-united"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.026045996695757, "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"}