LegiStorm

Summary:

The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill provides funding for civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and Central Utah Project (CUP); the Department of Energy (DOE); the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); and several other independent agencies. DOE typically accounts for about 80% of the bill's funding. President Trump submitted his FY2020 detailed budget proposal to Congress on March 18, 2019 (after submitting a general budget overview on March 11). The budget requests for agencies included in the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill total $37.956 billion, excluding subsequent scorekeeping adjustments. This is $6.705 billion (15%) below the FY2019 appropriation. The largest exception to the overall decrease proposed for energy and water programs is a $1.309 billion increase (12%) for DOE nuclear weapons activities. The House passed the FY2020 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill on June 19, 2019, by a vote of 226-203. The Energy and Water bill is Division E of an "Appropriations Minibus" (H.R. 2740), which also includes appropriations for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Defense; and State and Foreign Operations. The House-passed bill would provide total Energy and Water Development appropriations of $46.41 billion, which is $1.75 billion (4%) above the FY2019 enacted appropriation and $8.454 billion (22%) above the Administration request. The House Appropriations Committee approved the FY2020 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill on May 21, 2019, by a vote of 31-21 (H.R. 2960, H.Rept. 116-83). Major Energy and Water Development funding issues for FY2020 are listed below. They were selected based on the total funding involved, the percentage of proposed increases or decreases, the amount of congressional debate engendered, and potential impact on broader public policy considerations. Water Agency Funding Reductions. The Trump Administration requested reductions of 29% for USACE and 28% for Reclamation for FY2020 from the FY2019 enacted levels. The largest reductions would be from USACE Operation and Maintenance (-48%) and Reclamation's Water and Related Resources account (-31%). The House voted to give USACE and Reclamation each a 5% increase over their FY2019 funding levels. Debate has focused on the potential use of FY2020 USACE civil works appropriations for barrier infrastructure along the U.S. southern border, and efforts to shape the USACE's administration of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Termination of Energy Efficiency Grants. DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program and State Energy Program would be terminated under the FY2020 budget request. The House voted to increase the two grant programs by $52 million (17%) over their combined FY2019 funding level. Reductions in Energy Research and Development. Under the FY2020 budget request, DOE research and development appropriations would be reduced for energy efficiency and renewable energy (EERE) by 83%, nuclear energy by 38%, and fossil energy by 24%. The House approved an increase of 11% for EERE, and a decrease of less than 1% for fossil and nuclear energy from the FY2019 enacted amounts. Nuclear Waste Repository. The Administration's budget request would provide new funding for the first time since FY2010 for a proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. DOE would receive $116 million to seek an NRC license for the repository and develop interim waste storage capacity. NRC would receive $38.5 million to consider DOE's repository license application. The House did not approve the Administration's funding request for Yucca Mountain and interim storage, although it included $25 million within the DOE nuclear energy program for interim storage activities. Elimination of Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E). The Trump Administration proposes no new appropriations for ARPA-E in FY2020, but the House recommended a 17% funding increase. Weapons Activities. The FY2020 budget request for DOE Weapons Activities is 12% greater than the enacted level for FY2019 ($12.4 billion vs. $11.1 billion), in contrast to a proposed 10% reduction in DOE's total funding. Notable proposed increases would be used for warhead life extension programs and preparations for increased production of plutonium pits (warhead cores). The House passed a 6% increase in Weapons Activities over the FY2019 funding level.