President Joe Biden vetoed legislation Thursday that would have reversed his administration's changes to waterway pollution regulations.
It comes after majorities in the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-controlled House voted to reverse the Biden rules, which opened more waters to federal protection at the expense of industry.
Biden issued a statement on Twitter after signing the veto, saying his decision protects every American's "right to clean water." Previously, the White House warned that the measure would "threaten economic growth."
"Farmers would be left wondering whether artificially irrigated areas remain exempt or not. Construction crews would be left wondering whether their waterfilled gravel pits remain exempt or not," the administration said ahead of the veto.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, condemned Biden's decision shortly after the announcement.
"By vetoing this Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval, President Biden is ignoring the will of a bipartisan majority in Congress, leaving millions of Americans in limbo, and crippling future energy and infrastructure projects with red tape," Capito said.
"There's a reason those who work in agriculture, building, mining, and small businesses of all kinds across America strongly supported our effort to block the Biden waters rule, and I'm disappointed the president chose to stand by his blatant executive overreach," she added.
Water regulations have been a contentious issue for well over a decade. The Hill reported that attempted reforms by former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama ran into immediate legal challenges.
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