Washington, D.C. (Sept. 15, 2016) – House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) released the following statement after the House yesterday passed the Regulatory Integrity Act of 2016 (H.R. 5226). The bill provides greater transparency to the federal government’s rulemaking process in response to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s propaganda during the crafting of Waters of the United States (WOTUS).

“The EPA has a record of using taxpayer dollars to lobby for their policy agenda and then attempting to block the American people from knowing about it,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers. “Their actions are inexcusable. Their effort to deliberately target hardworking Washington farmers in their What’s Upstream campaign last year was especially egregious. It’s time they were reined in.”

“With the Regulatory Integrity Act, the EPA and other agencies will be required to post all public comments during the proposed rule stage in a central location, such as online. That means the American people will have increased access to fair, accurate information about the rules that directly impact their daily lives, and be protected from propaganda efforts by unaccountable bureaucrats who clearly haven’t spent a day on a farm.”