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To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with respect to citizen suits and the specification of disposal sites, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1179| House 
| Updated: 2/17/2017
Tom Rice

Tom Rice

Republican Representative

South Carolina

Cosponsors (65)
David Schweikert (Republican)Chris Stewart (Republican)Steve Chabot (Republican)Robert Pittenger (Republican)Tom Cole (Republican)Kay Granger (Republican)Trent Kelly (Republican)John R. Carter (Republican)Devin Nunes (Republican)Mark Meadows (Republican)Steven M. Palazzo (Republican)Pete Olson (Republican)Don Young (Republican)Alexander X. Mooney (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Andy Harris (Republican)Rick W. Allen (Republican)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Jackie Walorski (Republican)Paul Cook (Republican)Stevan Pearce (Republican)Tom McClintock (Republican)David Rouzer (Republican)Andy Biggs (Republican)Jeff Duncan (Republican)Sam Johnson (Republican)Ken Calvert (Republican)Rod Blum (Republican)Todd Rokita (Republican)Scott Perry (Republican)James B. Renacci (Republican)David B. McKinley (Republican)Greg Gianforte (Republican)Jason Smith (Republican)Barry Loudermilk (Republican)Ralph Lee Abraham (Republican)Kenny Marchant (Republican)Walter B. Jones (Republican)Bill Flores (Republican)Jodey C. Arrington (Republican)Joe Wilson (Republican)Roger Williams (Republican)Blake Farenthold (Republican)Glenn Grothman (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)Patrick J. Tiberi (Republican)Bruce Westerman (Republican)Trey Hollingsworth (Republican)Austin Scott (Republican)Stephen Knight (Republican)Mark E. Amodei (Republican)Dave Brat (Republican)David G. Valadao (Republican)Ted S. Yoho (Republican)Jeff Denham (Republican)Dennis A. Ross (Republican)Vicky Hartzler (Republican)Randy K. Sr. Weber (Republican)David A. Trott (Republican)Ralph Norman (Republican)Jim Bridenstine (Republican)Trent Franks (Republican)Harold Rogers (Republican)K. Michael Conaway (Republican)Robert B. Aderholt (Republican)

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise requirements concerning citizen suits. Litigation costs (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) must be awarded to the prevailing party, thus the bill removes a court's discretion to award the fees. A prevailing party is defined as the party that prevails on more than half of the claims at issue. The bill repeals the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny or restrict the use of any area as a disposal site for dredged or fill material when the discharge of those materials would have an unacceptable adverse effect on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery areas, wildlife, or recreational areas. Current law requires compensatory mitigation to replace the loss of aquatic resource functions in a watershed when a permit to discharge dredged or fill materials into navigable waters has unavoidable impacts on aquatic resources. This bill prohibits government entities from carrying out compensatory mitigation in excess of existing regulatory requirements.
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Timeline
Feb 16, 2017
Introduced in House
Feb 16, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Feb 17, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
  • February 16, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • February 16, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.


  • February 17, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Environmental Protection

Civil actions and liabilityLand use and conservationLegal fees and court costsLicensing and registrationsMarine and coastal resources, fisheriesSolid waste and recyclingWater qualityWater use and supply

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act with respect to citizen suits and the specification of disposal sites, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressHR-1179| House 
| Updated: 2/17/2017
Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise requirements concerning citizen suits. Litigation costs (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) must be awarded to the prevailing party, thus the bill removes a court's discretion to award the fees. A prevailing party is defined as the party that prevails on more than half of the claims at issue. The bill repeals the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny or restrict the use of any area as a disposal site for dredged or fill material when the discharge of those materials would have an unacceptable adverse effect on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery areas, wildlife, or recreational areas. Current law requires compensatory mitigation to replace the loss of aquatic resource functions in a watershed when a permit to discharge dredged or fill materials into navigable waters has unavoidable impacts on aquatic resources. This bill prohibits government entities from carrying out compensatory mitigation in excess of existing regulatory requirements.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Feb 16, 2017
Introduced in House
Feb 16, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Feb 17, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
  • February 16, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • February 16, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.


  • February 17, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Tom Rice

Tom Rice

Republican Representative

South Carolina

Cosponsors (65)
David Schweikert (Republican)Chris Stewart (Republican)Steve Chabot (Republican)Robert Pittenger (Republican)Tom Cole (Republican)Kay Granger (Republican)Trent Kelly (Republican)John R. Carter (Republican)Devin Nunes (Republican)Mark Meadows (Republican)Steven M. Palazzo (Republican)Pete Olson (Republican)Don Young (Republican)Alexander X. Mooney (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Andy Harris (Republican)Rick W. Allen (Republican)Marsha Blackburn (Republican)Jackie Walorski (Republican)Paul Cook (Republican)Stevan Pearce (Republican)Tom McClintock (Republican)David Rouzer (Republican)Andy Biggs (Republican)Jeff Duncan (Republican)Sam Johnson (Republican)Ken Calvert (Republican)Rod Blum (Republican)Todd Rokita (Republican)Scott Perry (Republican)James B. Renacci (Republican)David B. McKinley (Republican)Greg Gianforte (Republican)Jason Smith (Republican)Barry Loudermilk (Republican)Ralph Lee Abraham (Republican)Kenny Marchant (Republican)Walter B. Jones (Republican)Bill Flores (Republican)Jodey C. Arrington (Republican)Joe Wilson (Republican)Roger Williams (Republican)Blake Farenthold (Republican)Glenn Grothman (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)Patrick J. Tiberi (Republican)Bruce Westerman (Republican)Trey Hollingsworth (Republican)Austin Scott (Republican)Stephen Knight (Republican)Mark E. Amodei (Republican)Dave Brat (Republican)David G. Valadao (Republican)Ted S. Yoho (Republican)Jeff Denham (Republican)Dennis A. Ross (Republican)Vicky Hartzler (Republican)Randy K. Sr. Weber (Republican)David A. Trott (Republican)Ralph Norman (Republican)Jim Bridenstine (Republican)Trent Franks (Republican)Harold Rogers (Republican)K. Michael Conaway (Republican)Robert B. Aderholt (Republican)

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee

Environmental Protection

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Civil actions and liabilityLand use and conservationLegal fees and court costsLicensing and registrationsMarine and coastal resources, fisheriesSolid waste and recyclingWater qualityWater use and supply