Hearing of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee - Opening Statement of Rep. Lowey, Markup on the FY 2021 Energy and Water Development Funding Bill

Hearing

Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee's markup of its fiscal year 2021 bill:

I congratulate Chairwoman Kaptur and Ranking Member Simpson for the bill before us, as well as the subcommittee staff and Members for their hard work, particularly given the challenges of the past few months.

The Fiscal Year 2021 Energy and Water Development bill would provide $49.6 billion to improve infrastructure, address climate change, and strengthen national security.

Our nation's infrastructure is in dire need of modernization and the bill would support construction of key projects across the nation and maintenance of our economically vital ports and harbors.

As our nation continues to respond to Covid-19, the bill contains emergency spending intended to reinvigorate the economy.

And to ensure that funds in the bill actually help the American people, it bars the use of funds for President Trump's wasteful border wall.

The bill also supports efforts to prevent the worst effects of climate change by promoting clean and renewable energy, while making our infrastructure more resilient to the climate changes that are happening around us.

Finally, the bill would provide $27.5 million for interim storage of nuclear waste and includes language that would prohibit funding for an unnecessary restart of nuclear weapons testing. This prohibition would ultimately strengthen our national security.

This bill would improve the lives and livelihoods of Americans and help our nation emerge from the damaging economic effects of the pandemic. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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