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Senior Appropriations Democrats condemn reports that Trump Administration will slash clean energy research

February 1, 2018

Washington, D.C. – House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) today strongly condemned reported efforts by the Trump Administration to cut clean energy research at the Department of Energy.

"To every American who works in clean energy or cares about our environment, know that there is a coalition in Congress working to build on America's progress in energy production and job creation in the clean energy sector of our economy," said Congresswoman Kaptur. "The White House proposal to slash funding at a time when new energy alternatives are needed more than ever is short sided and will be met with great resistance in the Congress. Our long-term energy goals should be to keep America strong, independent and competitive around the world. Ceding ground on solar, wind or other path-breaking technologies is both foolhardy and dangerous."

"It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the Administration again intends to push Congress for thoughtless and damaging cuts to clean energy research," said Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. "Clean energy research holds boundless potential to grow our economy and improve the way we develop and consume energy, and abandoning this research would surrender this emerging industry to competitors around the world. The Administration is apparently intent on ensuring its upcoming budget request is dismissed even more quickly than its last one was."

The FY2017 enacted funding level for Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is $2.1 billion. FY2018 funding levels have yet to be determined due to Republican leadership's failure to reach a budget agreement and repeated reliance on Continuing Resolutions. The reported draft FY2019 budget request would propose cutting EERE funding by 72 percent.