public works -- and the public works committee to not only conduct a rigorous oversight of the obama e.p.a.'s policies which are running through -- roughshod over the economy operating outside the scope of law and directly ignoring the intent of congress but also to rein in this out-of-control agency through any and all means at our disposal. this has been a problem and i'm glad that when people used to say well, the very good relations, that's just big business that wants to reduce these regulations. it's -- that isn't true. because, as i mentioned before, the farmers of america not just in my state of oklahoma, say that the overregulation of e.p.a. is something that would be -- is the most difficult thing that they have to deal with. with that, i would yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: ms. murkowski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from alaska. ms. murkowski: i request that proceedings your honor the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. unde

e.p.a.'s authority, it is important to note that congress passed on several opportunities to amend the clean water act to expand federal jurisdiction. nevertheless, in april 2011, the obama administration proposed to replace the existing guidance with revised guidance that provided a very expansive reading of federal authority leaving very little land under state and local control. this unilateral reassertion of expansive authority in defiance of two -- of the other two branches of government was made even more egregious by being proposed through guidance outside of the formal rule-making process. unfortunately the outcry from the public and congress against this power grab caused the administration to scrap guidance and pursue formal rule with public comment. i do believe that we need clarity about what is and is not covered by the clean water act and particularly its permitting process, and that a formal rule with public comment is the best route. however, the proposed rule that was formerly published in april of 2014 once again asserted that extremely expansive view of federal authority. this would increase the federal government's jurisdiction to regulate waters that