Continuing the fight against overreaching WOTUS

When I’m visiting with farmers and producers on my Feenstra Agriculture Tour, excessive overreach by the federal government is a topic of great concern. From proposed bans on pesticides to unworkable green energy mandates, our producers face higher costs, more red tape, and ridiculous regulations that squeeze their bottom line and hurt our economy. There is no more glaring example than President Biden’s expansive and intrusive Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

In late 2022, the EPA approved an expanded definition of WOTUS – particularly what constitutes a navigable water source. Under the Biden administration’s definition, creeks, streams, and puddles on farmland would be subject to burdensome overregulation. In fact, more than 97% of Iowa’s land would face scrutiny and penalties from the EPA if farmers fail to report even a small puddle after a heavy rain.

That’s absurd, and it’s why I voted to overturn President Biden’s radical WOTUS rule that specifically target’s America’s original and greatest conservationists – our farmers.

But I didn’t stop there. I led an amendment to the Department of the Interior appropriations bill – which passed the U.S. House of Representatives – that would require explicit congressional approval of any regulation that would impact over 50% of American farmland. This would rightfully prevent President Biden from enforcing his WOTUS rule and return local control of our farmland to our producers and their families. As a constitutional conservative, I believe that we must put an end to blatant overreach by unelected bureaucrats within federal agencies – especially the EPA – and my amendment does just that.

Since his first day in office, President Biden has weaponized the power of the pen to impose mandates on our farmers and rural communities. So long as he attacks America’s heartland, I will always fight back against his radical and misinformed regulations on the men and women who feed and fuel our country and the world.

This op-ed was originally published in the Northwest Iowa Review on March 26, 2024.