House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) offered an amendment to H.R. 6147, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019, which would undermine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to protect and improve the health of the 64,000-square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed, which covers six states and the District of Columbia. The EPA’s authority to penalize states that fail to uphold their pollution reduction commitments is critical to ensuring the success of this historic federal-state partnership that is restoring the Chesapeake Bay and protecting the treasured estuary that over 18 million residents rely on. On July 18, the House approved the Goodlatte amendment by a vote of 213-202 (House roll call vote 351). NO IS THE PRO-ENVIRONMENT VOTE. The House passed H.R. 6147 on July 19 and the Senate passed its version of the bill on August 1. On September 5, the House rejected a motion to instruct conferees and no further action was taken on this legislation.