Press Releases

Washington, DC—November 3, 2023…Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) voted for H.R. 4821, the FY24 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation claws back billions of dollars of funding for environmental and climate justice programs and prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from imposing burdensome regulations on farmers while prioritizing funding for public safety, critical operations, and maintenance programs within the Department of the Interior.  

Congressman Womack said, “America’s farmers and small businesses have suffered under constricting, hyper-regulatory policies, typical of the left’s agenda. The Interior Appropriations bill releases this chokehold by repealing the flawed WOTUS rule, halting permitting requirements for livestock emissions, and unleashing energy production. This will foster growth within our communities and help our hardworking producers effectively and efficiently do their job.”

Bill highlights:

• Right-sizes agency funding levels.
• Expands access to critical minerals.
• Provides protections for oil and gas.
• Limits regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such as repealing the recent Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation.
• Limits abuse of the Endangered Species Act regarding species such as the sage-grouse, the gray wolf, and the lesser-prairie chicken.
• Rescinds $55 million for the Council on Environment Quality.   
• Provides a $1.604 billion increase in discretionary funding for the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service.
• Protects hunting, fishing, and recreational access on Federal lands. 

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’ Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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