Chairwoman Kaptur Statement to Rules Committee on Seven-Bill Appropriations Minibus

Statement

Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) today delivered the following remarks to the House Rules Committee in support of an appropriate rule for the House to consider H.R. 4502, a minibus of seven fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills:

Thank you, Chairman McGovern and Ranking Member Cole.

The 2022 Energy and Water bill takes a significant step forward to secure American energy independence and foster scientific innovation. It provides respectable funding to meet the needs of the current moment. It provides strong foundation to Build Back Better to address the increasing challenges created by climate change. And this bill maintains a firm commitment to America's nuclear security capabilities and nonproliferation activities.

Our subcommittee is dedicated to sustaining life on earth. We are reminded every day how vital our work is to meet the challenges of desertification of America's West, the increased and record flooding of our Heartland, and the battering of our four coasts caused by warming oceans and fresh waters and the climatic conditions they generate. We must protect and restore our freshwater resources and rebuild infrastructure to sustain life and deliver goods to markets.

Our bill invests over $53 billion dollars to provide strategic resources to address these challenges, while creating good-paying, middle class jobs in communities across this country with a greater commitment to those too often left behind.

This legislation takes concrete action to develop and deploy the technologies necessary to ensure a cleaner, more equitable, and reliable energy and water future.

Let me walk through key investments in this bill:

$45.1 billion for the Department of Energy, $3.2 billion above enacted. Within DOE:
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) receives record funding of $3.7 billion, $906 million above enacted.
Weatherization programs receive $398 million, $83 million above enacted.
ARPA-E receives $600 million, $173 million above enacted.
The Office of Science receives $7.32 billion, $294 million above enacted.
We responsibly fund our nuclear deterrent, and increase funding for nonproliferation programs.
The Army Corps receives $8.6 billion, $1.9 billion above the budget request, to support our nation's water infrastructure.
We provide approximately $2.05 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to dredge our nation's ports and harbors.
The Bureau of Reclamation receives $1.9 billion, $413 million above the budget request, including $191 million to address the western drought.

And our bill increases funding for regional commissions, which promote economic development in distressed counties.

In short, this bill sustains life on earth by providing critical funding for water infrastructure, clean energy, and a credible nuclear deterrent, all while supporting the creation of good-paying jobs in every region of our country.

Thank you, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

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