The Senate will vote Thursday morning to override President Obama’s veto of a resolution that would block the Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial water rule.
The vote has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the request of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The EPA says the Waters of the U.S. rule would protect streams and wetlands that affect water quality and would more precisely define waters protected by the Clean Water Act. But ranchers, farmers and states argue it gives the federal agency unprecedented authority over drainage ditches and nearly anything else that can contain water.
Obama said in his veto that the rule is critical to keeping the nation’s water clean.
“We must protect the waters that are vital for the health of our communities and the success of our businesses, agriculture and energy development,” Obama said Tuesday night. “As I have noted before, too many of our waters have been left vulnerable.”
The resolution passed the Senate with a 53-44 vote in November. Sixty-six votes are needed to override a presidential veto.
