Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on a visit today and Thursday by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to cities in Missouri to discuss proposed changes to the Clean Water Act:

“Despite this administration’s desperate and seemingly never ending attempts to fool the American people with snappy public relations tours, the fact of the matter is that the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed clean water rule would have a devastating impact on American businesses and family farms. This visit is more about a liberal political agenda tied to radical environmentalism than protecting our environment in a responsible way. As a lifelong family farmer and small businessman, it is clear that Washington bureaucrats know very little about what rules are best for the nation’s water resources. Nearly every farmer and small business person I meet with tells me how much uncertainty is being caused by onerous EPA regulations and that is why I will continue to support legislation that roll-back EPA’s attempts to further burden hard-working Americans.”

NOTE: This week the House will vote on the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations bill which would prohibit funding for the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule.