Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank our wonderful chair for yielding the time to me, and I really appreciate her kind words.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2024, particularly the Energy-Water Development appropriations bill. As chairman of that subcommittee, I worked hard to ensure the bill includes many House Republican priorities.

At a total of $58.2 billion, the bill advances our national security, energy security, and economic competitiveness in a fiscally responsible manner.

To support our nuclear deterrent, the bill funds the National Nuclear Security Administration at $24.1 billion, an increase of almost $2 billion above fiscal year 2023. Specifically, the bill fully funds all major weapons and infrastructure modernization activities, including the W93 warhead, the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile, which is a variant of the B61 gravity bomb, and the restart of plutonium pit production capability.

On the nondefense side of the bill, I was very pleased to be able to secure increases for the funding of the Department of Energy Office of Science, including fusion energy science. This funding will enhance America's role as the global leader of scientific discovery and lay the foundation for future scientific breakthroughs.

The programs funded in the Energy-Water Development bill also help improve our Nation's energy security. To reduce our reliance on foreign sources of critical materials, the bill provides strong support for the full spectrum of production technologies.

Remaining a leader in nuclear technologies will ensure reliable energy here at home and will help allies across the globe.

The bill sustains the Department of Energy's nuclear energy base program and also redirects previously appropriated funds to higher priorities, specifically: $2.8 billion to develop domestic capability for producing low-enriched uranium, including high-assay low-enriched uranium that will be necessary for upcoming advanced reactors, and $910 million to support advanced modular reactor design and deployment activities.

There are many other important provisions in this Energy-Water Development bill, but before my time is up, I congratulate Chairwoman Granger on bringing together this appropriations package. I also acknowledge the efforts of our colleagues across the aisle, especially my ranking member, Ms. Kaptur, and our colleagues across the Capitol.

Finally, I thank the staff for all of their hard work throughout this past year: our majority staff, Angie, Perry, Nora, Richie, Scott, Angelina, and Janet; in my personal office, Daniel and Ian; and on the minority side, Scott, Jocelyn, and Adam.

Mr. Speaker, this is a strong bill for America with many House Republicans' priorities, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source