The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a fiscal 2017 spending bill that would block the Obama administration's “Waters of the United States” rule, curb work on greenhouse gas regulations and bar some endangered species protections. 

 

The WOTUS provision, which mirrors riders in two House spending bills, seeks to block the Obama administration from enforcing the rule in case court stays are lifted. 

 

A senior Democrat on the committee, Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois, warned that Democrats would probably block the Interior-Environment bill from moving on the Senate floor. Republicans control 54 seats in the Senate, but 60 would be needed to bring it up for debate. The Senate committee approved the bill on a party-line vote, 16-14.

 

“I think it's quite likely this bill will never be considered on the floor because of these riders. It's sad because there are many parts of the bill that are very good,” said Durbin. The bill funds the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department.

 

The committee separately approved a Financial Services bill that includes an amendment to allow private banks and companies to offer credit for agricultural exports to Cuba. That amendment, approved 22-8, was sponsored by John Boozman, R-Ark., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.

 

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