# What This Bill Does

Congress is trying to block a new federal rule about which waterways are protected under environmental law. The rule, created by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency, changes how the government defines "waters of the United States"—basically, which streams, wetlands, and other water bodies get federal protection.

This is a congressional disapproval bill, which is a special tool Congress uses to reject rules that federal agencies have created. If this bill passes, it would undo the EPA and Army Corps' new definition and likely revert to an older, narrower definition of which waters are protected. The difference matters because waters that qualify for protection get stricter regulations about pollution, development, and other activities.

**Who this affects:** Farmers, developers, property owners, and anyone living near waterways would feel the impact. A narrower definition of protected waters means fewer regulations on some land and water use, but it could also mean less environmental protection for smaller streams and wetlands. Environmental groups generally want broader protections, while agricultural and development interests often prefer narrower definitions that give them more freedom to use their land. The practical result depends entirely on which definition wins—the new one or the old one.

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States'".

Graves, Sam

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Revised Definition of &quot;Waters of the United States,&quot; which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of waters of the United States.