IB 
Union Calendar No. 492 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4965 
[Report No. 112–681] 
To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of 
the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 27, 2012 
Mr. MICA (for himself, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. GIBBS, 
and Mrs. NOEM) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 
Additional sponsors: Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. ROONEY, Mr. FLAKE, 
Mr. WALDEN, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. HANNA, Mr. SCHILLING, Mr. 
SOUTHERLAND, Ms. JENKINS, Mr. GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
FARENTHOLD, Mr. DENHAM, Mr. STUTZMAN, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. BAR-
ROW, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. 
LATTA, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, 
Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
CRAWFORD, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. CRAVAACK, Mr. 
HURT, Mr. COSTA, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. NUGENT, Mrs. ELLMERS, 
Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mrs. EMERSON, 
Mr. COLE, Mr. HECK, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. HASTINGS of 
Washington, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. COS-
TELLO, Mr. GRAVES of Georgia, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. 
BOREN, Mr. TERRY, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. KISSELL, Mr. MATHESON, 
Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. BERG, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. FINCHER, Mr. BRADY of 
Texas, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. KLINE, Mr. BONNER, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. 
SCHOCK, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. POSEY, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. 
MARINO, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. HUELSKAMP, Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas, Mr. 
DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. 
BACHUS, Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. ROSS 
of Florida, Mr. GRIFFITH of Virginia, Ms. HOCHUL, Mrs. HARTZLER, 
Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana, Ms. BUERKLE, Mr. 
FRANKS of Arizona, and Mr. OWENS 
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21:30 Sep 20, 2012
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SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
A BILL 
To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect 
to waters of the United States, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. IDENTIFICATION OF WATERS PROTECTED BY 
THE CLEAN WATER ACT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army and 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy are prohibited from— 
(1) finalizing, adopting, implementing, admin-
istering, or enforcing the proposed guidance de-
scribed in the notice of availability and request for 
comments entitled ‘‘EPA and Army Corps of Engi-
neers Guidance Regarding Identification of Waters 
Protected by the Clean Water Act’’ (EPA–HQ–OW– 
2011–0409) (76 Fed. Reg. 24479 (May 2, 2011)); 
and 
(2) using the guidance described in paragraph 
(1), or any substantially similar guidance, as the 
basis for any decision regarding the scope of the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
1251 et seq.) or any rulemaking. 
(b) RULES.—The use of the guidance described in 
subsection (a)(1), or any substantially similar guidance, 
as the basis for any rule shall be grounds for vacating 
the rule. 
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SECTION 1. IDENTIFICATION OF WATERS PROTECTED BY 
THE CLEAN WATER ACT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army and the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency are 
prohibited from— 
(1) finalizing, adopting, implementing, admin-
istering, or enforcing the proposed guidance described 
in the notice of availability and request for comments 
entitled ‘‘EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Guid-
ance Regarding Identification of Waters Protected by 
the Clean Water Act’’ (EPA–HQ–OW–2011–0409) 
(76 Fed. Reg. 24479 (May 2, 2011)); and 
(2) using the guidance described in paragraph 
(1), any successor document, or any substantially 
similar guidance made publicly available on or after 
December 3, 2008, as the basis for any decision re-
garding the scope of the Federal Water Pollution Con-
trol Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or any rulemaking. 
(b) RULES.—The use of the guidance described in sub-
section (a)(1), or any successor document or substantially 
similar guidance made publicly available on or after De-
cember 3, 2008, as the basis for any rule shall be grounds 
for vacating the rule. 
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Union Calendar No. 492 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4965 
[Report No. 112–681] 
A BILL 
To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with 
respect to waters of the United States, and for 
other purposes. 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:30 Sep 20, 2012
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PO 00000
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