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Chairwoman Kaptur Statement After House Passes Fiscal Year 2021 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

December 21, 2020

Legislation expected to pass Senate, be signed into law in coming days

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, released the following statement after the House passed her 2021 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. The legislation funds the Department of Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior programs, and other related agencies. The bill was passed as a part of a bipartisan omnibus package that funds the federal government through September 2021.

The FY 2021 bill provides $49.5 billion in discretionary funding, $6.9 billion above the President's budget request and $1.1 billion above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level. That amount includes $27.5 billion for defense-related activities, $1.5 billion above the request and $3.3 billion above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level. The amount also includes $21.9 billion for non-defense activities, $5.3 billion above the request and $2.1 billion below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level. With over $12 billion focused on the clean energy revolution, this legislation is one of the most important climate bills this Congress.

"The 2021 Energy and Water Appropriations bill captures the American spirit of ingenuity and independence," said Rep. Kaptur. "It provides the foundation of critical investments to combat climate change and will be the most important climate change legislation passed this year. Our bill rejects the President's shortsighted and devastating proposed cuts for both today and tomorrow. Instead, our bill invests in the future to meet serious national priorities. This bill is needed more than ever to heal this nation and move America forward. The ongoing and significant demands our country faces are monumental, but today our bipartisan effort is a bit of needed solace."

A summary of the fiscal year 2021 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill is below.

Bill Summary:

Army Corps of Engineers – Provides $7.8 billion, an increase of $145 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.8 billion above the budget request to support our nation's water infrastructure that is the lifeblood of waterborne commerce and our national economic competitiveness. This funding also invests in our national environmental sustainability of and will bolster the resilience of our infrastructure in the face of a changing climate.

  • Funding for Investigations is $153 million, an increase of $2 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $50.4 million above the request.

  • Funding for Construction is $2.69 billion, an increase of $11.6 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $519.4 million above the request.
  • Funding for Operation and Maintenance is $3.85 billion, an increase of $59.7 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.8 billion above the request.
  • Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund projects receive $1.68 billion, an increase of $50 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and an increase of $665 million above the request. This meets the target set by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 and represents 92 percent of estimated revenues compared to the fiscal year 2021 target of 83 percent.
  • The bill makes full use of the estimated revenues, which includes a total appropriation of $113 million for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.

  • Provides nine new study starts and seven new construction starts.

  • Funds the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program for the first time for the Corps at $14.2 million, to guarantee almost $1 billion in loans.

Department of Interior/Bureau of Reclamation – Provides $1.69 billion, an increase of $11 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $553 million above the budget request.

  • Provides $21 million for the Central Utah Project, $1 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $11 million above the request.

  • Provides $1.67 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation, an increase of $10 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $542 million above the request. Within Reclamation:
    • Provides $559 million in additional funding for water resources projects, including those authorized in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.

  • Within additional funding, $114.7 million is provided for rural water projects above the budget request.

Department of Energy Provides $39.6 billion for the Department, an increase of $1 billion above the fiscal year 2020 level and $4.5 billion above the budget request.

  • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Provides $2.86 billion, an increase of $72 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $2.1 billion above the request. This funding provides for clean, affordable, and secure energy and ensures American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy economy.

  • Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response Provides $156 million, equal to the fiscal year 2020 level. This funding provides for efforts to secure the nation's energy infrastructure against all hazards, reduce the risks of and impacts from cybersecurity events, and assist with restoration activities.

  • Electricity Provides $211.7 million, an increase of $21.7 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $16.7 million above the request. This funding will advance technologies to increase the resiliency and efficiency of the nation's electricity delivery system with capabilities to incorporate growing amounts of clean energy technologies.

  • Nuclear Energy Provides $1.5 billion, an increase of $14.2 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $328 million above the request. This funding invests in activities to further improve the safety and economic viability of our current reactor fleet, develop the next generation of clean and safe reactors, and supports the advanced reactors demonstration program.

  • Fossil Energy Research and Development Provides $750 million, equal to the fiscal year 2020 level and $19.4 million above the request. This funding provides for research, development, and demonstration activities to ensure the safe, efficient, and environmentally sound use of fossil energy resources.

  • Science Provides $7.026 billion, an increase of $26 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.2 billion above the request. The Office of Science funds basic science research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other science disciplines to expand scientific understanding and secure the nation's global leadership in energy innovation.

  • Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy Provides $427 million, an increase of $2 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and rejects the budget proposal to eliminate this program. This funding supports research aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies that are capable of significantly changing the energy sector to address our critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges.

  • National Nuclear Security Administration Provides $19.7 billion, an increase of $3 billion above the fiscal year 2020 level. This funding will maintain a safe, secure, and credible nuclear deterrent while addressing the threat of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This includes:
  • Weapons Activities - $15.35 billion, an increase of $2.9 billion above the fiscal year 2020 level to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent and critical scientific and R&D capabilities.

  • Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation - $2.26 billion, an increase of $95.6 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $229 million above the request. This funding secures nuclear material at home and abroad and is crucial for reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism.
  • Naval Nuclear Reactors - $1.68 billion, an increase of $35.6 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and equal to the request, to continue safe and reliable operation of the Navy's nuclear-powered fleet.
  • Environmental Cleanup Provides $7.59 billion, an increase of $131 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.52 billion above the budget request. This funding is used for nuclear waste cleanup at 16 sites across the country and includes:

  • Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup - $319.2 million, equal to the fiscal year 2020 level and $43 million above the request.

  • Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning - $841 million, a decrease of $40 million below the fiscal year 2020 level and $35 million above the request.

  • Defense Environmental Cleanup - $6.426 billion, an increase of $171 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $1.4 billion above the request.
  • Power Marketing Administrations – Provides the net budget request levels for the Southeastern Power Administration, Southwestern Power Administration, and Western Area Power Administration. The agreement rejects the President's proposal to sell the transmission assets of the PMAs, change the laws governing how the PMAs establish power rates, and repeal the borrowing authority for the Western Area Power Administration.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Provides a net appropriation of $123 million. This funds regulatory activities to ensure the safe use of nuclear reactors and radioactive materials while protecting people and the environment.

Appalachian Regional Commission Provides $180 million, which is $5 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $15 million above the budget request. The Commission funds projects in the Appalachian Region to promote economic development, education and job training, critical infrastructure, and community development.

Northern Border Regional Commission Provides $30 million, which is $5 million above the fiscal year 2020 level and $29.1 million above the budget request. This funding targets the economic development needs of distressed portions of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.

Policy Provisions:

  • A provision to prevent the reorganization of the Army Corps of Engineers, or to transfer Corps functions to other agencies.
  • A provision to allow a transfer of funds from the Western Area Power Administration to the Bureau of Reclamation for environmental stewardship and endangered species recovery purposes.

kaptur.house.gov