Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2020 Energy And Water Development Funding Bill

The House Appropriations Committee always approved the fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies bill on a vote of 31 to 21. The legislation funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior programs, the Department of Energy, and other related agencies.

In total, the legislation includes $46.4B in funding to spur energy innovation that will increase economic prosperity while working to mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve the nation’s water infrastructure, and strengthen national security. This represents an increase of $1.8B, or 4 percent, above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The bill includes $23.3B for non-defense activities, an increase of $1.1B above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and $23.1B for defense spending, an increase of $673M above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

“This bill rejects the President’s drastic and short-sighted proposed cuts to key energy and water programs, including a 12% decrease to the Department of Energy, a 31% decrease to the Army Corps of Engineers, and a 28% decrease to the Bureau of Reclamation. Instead, this bill increases investments to these important programs to meet our national priorities,” said House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Chairwoman Marcy Kaptur. “This bill invests in energy innovation, promotes economic prosperity, and prepares our country to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Meeting the needs of the future requires our nation to be at the forefront of global energy innovation, and this sets us on that path. I am grateful that as we prepared for this legislation, our subcommittee held eight hearings and received significant member input from both sides of the aisle. I am proud of the bipartisan work that went into creating this bill and I look forward to its swift passage on the House floor.”

“This bill would invest $46.6B to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, build the next generation of clean energy technologies, and responsibly protect our national security,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey. “To bring American infrastructure into the 21st century, this bill increases funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to advance construction on key projects and help address the Corps’ backlog. Acting on climate change is urgent, and this bill would invest in research and development of renewable and sustainable energy sources. Additionally, the bill would increase funds for defense nuclear non-proliferation by $145M to help secure nuclear material. This bill would make our country safer and reestablish American leadership in the clean energy economy.”

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

Rep. Kaptur – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

Rep. Newhouse #1 – The amendment shifts $5M between Hanford cleanup accounts. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill is here. The bill report is here.