Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies

As the Republican Leader of the Appropriations Committee, I oppose H.R. 7617, the second package of fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills to be considered by the House.

My concerns today will sound very familiar. I had many of the same objections when I spoke on the House floor last week about the first package of appropriations bills.

I regret that I again oppose a very important piece of legislation.

This bill supports –

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to begin by thanking Chairwoman Kaptur and Ranking Member Simpson for their leadership on the Energy and Water Subcommittee.

I appreciate that the bill continues significant funding for our nation's water resources infrastructure. Almost every Congressional district across the country benefits in some way from the important work of the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.

These agencies are responsible for projects that protect the public and property from floods and hurricanes.

At the same time, improvements that are made to ports and waterways generate and sustain millions of jobs.

Many of these projects are also a significant source of drinking water and irrigation water for our communities and farmers.

Madam Chair, thank you for yielding.

I rise in opposition to the subcommittee allocations because they do not give a complete picture of all of the spending in these appropriations bills.

Instead of working with us to develop bills consistent with the budget agreement that was reached last year, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have unilaterally decided to include hundreds of billions of dollars in so-called "emergency" spending for things that really are not emergencies.

• Almost $200 billion dollars for infrastructure;
• Nearly $35 billion dollars to respond to the coronavirus on top of the trillions already appropriated; and
• $12.5 billion for veterans, even though it was known last year that these costs would rise.

In total, there is more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in additional deficit spending not included in these allocations.

Madam Chair, thank you for bringing forward the fiscal year 2021 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill today.

I also want to thank the Ranking Member, Mr. Simpson, for his leadership on this subcommittee.

As a result of your work, this bill addresses the priorities of Members on both sides of the aisle and does many good things for the American people.

In particular, I appreciate that the bill continues significant funding for our nation's water resources infrastructure, such as navigation, flood control, and water storage and delivery projects.

Almost every congressional district across the country benefits in some way from the important work of the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.