The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has overall responsibility for enforcing the major law designed to control the pollution of our lakes, rivers and streams -- the Clean Water Act (CWA).

In this vote, Se. Chafee (R-RI) sought to table (kill) Sen. Wallop's (R-WY) amendment to prohibit EPA from pursuing enforcement actions against violators of the CWA when a state had already begun enforcement action. Such an amendment would have hindered EPA's ability to enforce the CWA in cases where state enforcement was not as vigorous as the law required.

Motion to table Wallop Amendment accepted 70-26; June 13, 1985. YES is the pro-environmental vote. (Chafee Motion to table Wallop Amendment to S. 1128, Clean Water Act.) Both the House and Senate passed legislation extending the Clean Water Act in 1985, but final passage did not occur until October 1986. Although passed by both Houses unanimously, President Reagan pocket-vetoed the bill after the 99th Congress had adjourned.