Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Chairman Mike Simpson
2007 Rayburn House Office Building
(202) 225-3081
Majority | Minority |
| Mike Simpson – Chair | Chellie Pingree – Ranking Member |
| Mark Amodei | Betty McCollum |
| Guy Reschenthaler | Josh Harder |
| Michael Cloud | James E. Clyburn |
| Ryan Zinke | |
| Jake Ellzey | |
| Celeste Maloy – Vice Chair |
FY26 Outside Witness Testimony Instructions - American Indian and Alaska Native FY26 Outside Witness Testimony Instructions - All Groups FY26 Member Day Hearing Instructions
Recent Activity
Mister Speaker, I offer this motion today to restore funding levels for a bipartisan priority to counter China.
The amendment adds $102 million to restore funding for the Countering Chinese Influence Fund to the current fiscal year level of $300 million.
We can all agree that the Chinese Communist Party is actively working against U.S. interests all over the globe – from space technology, to deceptive trading practices, to their outsized influence in pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
The threat from China is significant, and now is not the time to retreat in our efforts to stop their destructive actions.
The Countering Chinese Influence Fund was established last year to address the growing reality that Beijing has a foothold in areas of critical importance, including in our own back yard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise today in opposition to H.R. 7608, the first package of fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills to be considered by the House.
I wish the circumstances were different and I could support this very important piece of legislation that funds many key programs.
This bill supports –
- The veterans who have honorably served our country;
- The diplomats who promote American businesses and our values around the world;
- The farmers and ranchers who put food on our tables; and
- The custodians of our parks and public lands who protect our national treasures.
Unfortunately, I am not able to support the bill before us because it has some fatal flaws.
I want to thank Chair McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce for the work they've done on many important programs supported by the Interior bill.
This bill funds priorities and concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle and does many good things for the preservation of our natural resources.
In addition, the bill helps local communities across the country with education and safety needs, particularly in Indian country.
Even though the bill funds many shared priorities, there are several policy items that raise concern.
The bill eliminates several long-standing, common-sense provisions that have had bipartisan support for many years.
Instead, the bill adds many new poison pill riders and directives that would limit domestic energy and mineral production and prevent the Administration from reducing regulatory burdens.
WASHINGTON – Today, the full committee met to consider the fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills for the subcommittees on Interior-Environment and the Legislative Branch. Committee Republicans were unable to support these two bills due to several new policy proposals and a total spending level that is hundreds of billions of dollars above the budget agreement.
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.
WASHINGTON – Today, the subcommittees on Homeland Security; Interior and Environment; Legislative Branch; Energy and Water Development; and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education met to consider their appropriations bills for fiscal year 2021. The measures were reported out to the full committee with concerns raised by Republicans.
I want to thank Chair Mccollum for presenting the fiscal year 2021 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill today.
I also want to thank the Ranking Member, Mr. Joyce, for his leadership on this subcommittee.
I appreciate the work you've done on many important programs supported by the Interior bill.
This bill funds priorities and concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle and does many good things for the preservation of our natural resources.
For example, the bill prioritizes funding to maintain our national parks and support efforts to stop the trafficking of endangered species.
In addition, the bill helps local communities across the country with education and safety needs, particularly in Indian country.
Even though the bill funds many shared priorities, there are several policy items that raise concern.
WASHINGTON – Top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) released the following statement after the House passed the CARES Act.
"Our nation is facing an unprecedented pandemic, and I am proud that Congress has come together again to provide desperately needed resources and relief to the American people.
