title:  Republicans Tried To Kill The Clean Water Rule, But Obama’s Veto Pen Said ‘Hell No’
text: On Tuesday, President Obama s Veto Pen  got some exercise when he dashed Republicans  hopes of gutting clean water rules   a curious mission, given the fact that Republicans in Michigan literally murdered 10 people and poisoned hundreds of kids with the state s disgusting water supply  water their Governor assured them was safe to drink.The resolution, introduced by hog-castrating waste of flesh Joni Ernst, had one goal: to block the EPA s enforcement of the Clean Water Rule and to prevent similar measures from being taken to protect our nation s water in the future. Fortunately, President Obama stepped up to kill the GOP s dream of unregulated waterways teeming with dangerous bacteria and other nasty stuff. In his veto message, the President explained:I am returning herewith without my approval S.J. Res. 22, a resolution that would nullify a rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army to clarify the jurisdictional boundaries of the Clean Water Act. The rule, which is a product of extensive public involvement and years of work, is critical to our efforts to protect the Nation s waters and keep them clean; is responsive to calls for rulemaking from the Congress, industry, and community stakeholders; and is consistent with decisions of the United States Supreme Court.We must protect the waters that are vital for the health of our communities and the success of our businesses, agriculture, and energy development. As I have noted before, too many of our waters have been left vulnerable. Pollution from upstream sources ends up in the rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters near which most Americans live and on which they depend for their drinking water, recreation, and economic development. Clarifying the scope of the Clean Water Act helps to protect these resources and safeguard public health. Because this resolution seeks to block the progress represented by this rule and deny businesses and communities the regulatory certainty and clarity needed to invest in projects that rely on clean water, I cannot support it. I am therefore vetoing this resolution.Republicans attempted to use a rarely invoked law known as the Congressional Review Act to overturn the rule, but the President s veto ended all that, as they lack the votes to overturn the President s decision. Ernst says that she intends to find other ways to curtail the EPA s ability to regulate our waterways. We all want clean water,  Ernst said in a statement following the veto. This rule is not about clean water. Rather, it is about how much authority the federal government and unelected bureaucrats should have to regulate what is done on private land. This is exactly why we need to vote BLUE in November   do you think a Republican President would have protected America s water?Featured image via White House 