Paul Bill Would Scrap Regulations PDF Print E-mail
FOR RELEASE: July 26, 2000

Paul Bill Would Scrap Regulations EPA Attempt to Foist New Rules on Agricultural Producers Raises Representative's Ire

Washington, D.C. - Recently, Congressman Ron Paul introduced legislation designed to overturn recently finalized EPA regulations aimed at agricultural producers. "I have been warning about this for two years and now the EPA is moving forward," said Paul, pointing to a press release he issued nearly two years ago relating to non-point source pollution. Paul renewed his attack on the EPA regulations printed in the Federal Register.
"Just recently Congress passed language expressly prohibiting implementation of these standards, but the EPA has gone ahead and finalized this rule in a blatant disregard for Congressional intent," Paul said. "While the recently passed language would delay implementation, my bill would stop the regulation altogether."
Paul stated that he became aware of the regulation two years ago when the EPA and USDA first started discussing it. "The agricultural community expressed its opposition, but few here on Capital Hill took it seriously when they should have. I immediately suggested that this regulation could result in the imposition of a requirement for a federal license to farm. Fortunately we were able to slow this thing down by speaking out at that time, and the recent passage of language limiting implementation is another important step, but we need to kill this thing once and for all."
"Two years ago I pointed out that we in Texas have the responsibility and authority to make our waters clean, and only Texans have the understanding needed to implement farm policies that Texans can live with. This latest move by the EPA is another blatant example of this administration foisting federal regulators and unneeded regulations into an area in which they have no business being. It also exemplifies the fact that this administration is willing to do whatever it wishes regardless of the constitutional mandate that Congress exercise federal lawmaking authority. From executive orders to administrative regulations, this administration has been among the most egregious violators of the constitutional separation of powers and the legitimate legislative intentions of Congress derived from that constitution."