[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 176 (Wednesday, October 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5066-H5100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2024


                             General Leave

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4394, and that I may 
include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 756 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 4394.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood) to preside 
over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1736


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 4394) making appropriations for energy and water development and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for 
other purposes, with Mr. Flood in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed 1 
hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees.
  The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann) and the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, it is my distinct honor to bring the fiscal year 2024 
Energy and Water bill before you today. Before I go into the details, I 
recognize the hard work of Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member 
DeLauro on this bill and the entire appropriations process.
  I also specifically thank my ranking member, Ms. Kaptur, for being a 
tremendous partner throughout this year's process.
  At a total of $56.958 billion, the Energy and Water bill advances our 
national security, our energy security, and our economic 
competitiveness in a fiscally responsible manner.
  The bill includes $24 billion for the National Nuclear Security 
Administration. Within that, the bill fully funds all major weapons 
programs and infrastructure modernization activities, including the W93 
warhead, the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile, the B83-1 sustainment 
efforts, and the restart of plutonium pit production capability. NNSA 
funding also supports naval reactors and defense nuclear 
nonproliferation.
  Remaining a leader in nuclear energy technologies will ensure 
reliable energy here at home and will help allies across the globe.
  The bill sustains the Department of Energy's nuclear energy base 
program and also redirects previously appropriated funds to higher 
priorities, specifically:
  $2.4 billion to develop a domestic capability for producing low-
enriched uranium, including high-assay low-enriched uranium that will 
be necessary for upcoming advanced reactors; and
  $1.2 billion to support the ongoing advanced small modular reactor 
demonstration project.
  To reduce our reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals, the 
bill provides more than $200 million for the full spectrum of 
production technologies.
  The Army Corps of Engineers is funded at $9.57 billion, including 
full funding of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund activities and 
ongoing Inland Waterways Trust Fund construction projects. These 
investments will help ensure goods can be moved safely to and from 
global markets.
  Funding for the Bureau of Reclamation totals $1.8 billion and 
prioritizes projects that increase water supply and support drought 
resiliency.
  The bill continues strong funding for the Department of Energy Office 
of Science, including fusion energy science, to enhance America's role 
as the global leader of scientific discovery and to lay the foundation 
for future scientific breakthroughs.
  In closing, I thank the staff on both sides of the aisle for their 
hard work throughout this process. On the majority staff, Angie, Perry, 
Nora, Richie, Scott, and Janet. In my personal office, Ian and Daniel. 
On the minority staff, Scott, Jocelyn, and Adam.
  This is a strong bill, and I urge Members to support it. I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I appreciate Chair Fleischmann very, very much for his 
serious attention to our complex bill and his cordiality and very 
constructive attitude throughout.
  I begin by thanking our diligent staff for all their hard work on 
this bill. On the minority staff, I thank Scott McKee, Jocelyn Hunn, 
and Adam Wilson. On the majority staff, I thank Angie Giancarlo, Perry 
Yates, Nora Khalil, Richie O'Connell, Scott Prutting, and Janet 
Harrington. On my personal staff, I thank Margaret McInnis and Mayely 
Boyce.
  As we work on this Energy and Water bill, I place in the Record how 
deeply saddened I am by the passing of our dear colleague in the other 
body, Senator Dianne Feinstein, who dedicated the best years of her 
life to our country.
  As Energy and Water appropriators, Dianne and all of us worked 
closely over many years to protect the waters of the United States and 
to build a brighter, cleaner energy future and to assure America's 
nuclear capabilities are secure.
  Her acute mastery of the energy, water, and security needs of our 
Nation had no comparison, and her dignified, noble public service is 
truly a great loss to our Nation.
  There is not time during our bill's consideration today to fully 
express my thoughts, but I am so deeply saddened for California's loss, 
for our Nation's loss, and for all who grieve the loss of the longest-
serving woman in Senate history.
  All I or any of us can do is laud Senator Dianne Feinstein's 
productive career of exemplary effective public service. Rest in peace, 
my dear friend.
  We consider this important measure at a moment in which the United 
States economy is growing at record rates, producing historic levels of 
job growth due to the laws enacted by the last Congress.
  With historic job growth, revenues are now coming into the private 
sector and the Federal Government at much higher levels than before 
because post-pandemic, millions more people are working. Companies are 
earning money.
  The American people again are doing what America does best: being 
productive and leaving our Nation to the future in better condition 
than we found it.
  Indeed, this gross domestic product/debt chart clearly illustrates as 
a result of robust economic growth, our Nation has bent the debt curve 
as a percentage of GDP for the first time in modern history.
  Here we go. It is going down. That is where we want it to go, yes. We 
are beginning to pay down our Nation's accumulated debt, largely 
amassed from the costs of past wars, the old debts that were not paid 
for by those that conducted them at the time.

                              {time}  1745

  Then we had the pandemic and, sadly, over several decades, the tax 
cuts that were enacted allowed the wealthiest and most productive 
powerful corporations in our country not to carry their fair share of 
the tax load. I think it is important that everyone share in our 
Nation's responsibilities.
  In this context, I must offer that I am unable to concur with my able 
colleague, Chairman Fleischmann, on this particular appropriation bill. 
I prefer a more realistic energy and water allocation that meets the 
critical energy and water needs of our Nation, not just for today but 
for the energy independence and the water security for America in 
perpetuity. We are not out of the woods on this, we have got a lot of 
work to do.

[[Page H5067]]

  Energy and water security are national security--think about it. Yet, 
the nondefense spending in this bill is $6.4 billion lower--25 percent 
lower--than last year's effective level. That is a radical, 
irresponsible reduction. It repeals over $5 billion for critical energy 
programs from the Inflation Reduction Act that would have helped 
American families save money on their monthly energy bills while 
simultaneously creating thousands of jobs, good-paying jobs, in new 
energy technologies.
  For energy and water needs, it is not an overstatement to say people 
in our Nation live or die by decisions being made here in Congress.
  Since World War II, America has paid a terrible price for its 
unconscious slide into foreign dependency on imported energy. While we 
have made strides toward energy independence after a half century of 
effort, starting in the late 1970s, we still haven't scored at the home 
plate of U.S. energy independence in perpetuity.
  Recently, I read an article that said our country is going to import 
petroleum after 2040. Well, guess what? I am not voting for that. Our 
position must be to keep American energy and our people secure here at 
home. That is one of the major purposes of this bill.
  Hasn't our Nation learned repeatedly the hard way that when gasoline 
prices top $4 a gallon, our economy is thrown into deep recession. It 
is pretty clear. It should be obvious why U.S. energy independence is 
so vital. No foreign power should ever again make America vulnerable.
  Energy security is national security. We must ensure energy security 
within our own borders. We cannot depend on foreign sources in the 
event of energy disruptions that are natural or malignly concocted to 
do us harm.
  Energy impacts every person's well-being. It allows our Nation to be 
free, and free of foreign malign influence. How well we know our 
Nation's fate can be impacted by events outside our borders.
  News outlets are correctly reporting that Russia's unprovoked war on 
Ukraine is being waged on more than one front, surely including energy. 
Russia is known for manipulation of global oil and gas prices through 
reserves they control. In fact, global oil prices surged to nearly $100 
per barrel in September after Saudi Arabia and Russia continued their 
curtailment of oil supplies.
  The sharp escalation in geopolitical risk in the Middle East from the 
brutal Hamas terror attack in Israel has oil markets on edge. Check it 
out. Let us not forget that the Middle East accounts for more than one-
third of the world's seaborne oil trade. Again, energy resources are 
intricately bound to the fate of liberty halfway around our world. Let 
us make our home front impenetrable.
  Energy also allows our private sector and its workforce the ability 
to flourish in a modern economy with millions and millions upon 
millions of living wage jobs in energy production and conservation, 
across all sectors: natural gas, ethanol and biodiesel, nuclear, fossil 
fuels, thermal heat recovery, renewables, advancing sectors of hydrogen 
and fusion energy, and advanced nuclear platforms.
  Meanwhile, imaginative energy conservation and other developing 
technologies are being created by America's amazing inventors in new 
building materials, solar and electrified windows, biofuels, geothermal 
and thermal heat recovery, wind and wave energy, to name but a few. 
America will never ever lose through power of invention because we are 
a free people.
  Let me turn to our water responsibilities. New, major engineering 
challenges lie before America. Ask the citizens along the drought-
stricken Mississippi and the Louisiana corridor as saltwater creeps 
north, or the flood victims in New York City.
  Across our Nation, cities are having to manage water and wastewater 
loads for which they were not engineered. In rural America, farmers are 
losing crops because of increasing rainfall, an inability to manage 
water in their fields, and drainage systems that were built for another 
era. Frankly, a century or a century and a half ago. Well, times are 
changing.
  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation are needed 
now more than ever to handle regional approaches to new and changing 
water flows, whether it is down the Mississippi, along our coasts, in 
the Great Lakes, or the dry, irrigated West.
  There is an old expression: ``Don't try to fool Mother Nature.'' I 
would say: Don't ignore Mother Nature. This is one such moment in 
American history. I must express the Energy and Water Appropriations 
bill before us is completely inadequate. It does not meet our country's 
needs in this new era of climate change.
  If I need offer more proof, Americans and America are paying billions 
more in disaster relief. This country paid over $150 billion last year 
in disaster damage, significantly higher than the $60 billion average 
from the last 30 years. How about that--doubling and a half. Well, that 
is a big warning sign that one simply can't ignore.
  We ought to be investing that money upfront to avoid those disasters 
by properly funding this bill. We must robustly meet the needs of the 
future, not flounder in the past.
  In other areas of the bill, I continue to be troubled by the 
unsustainable spending in the Department of Energy's weapons programs. 
We know we have to keep a tight lid on them because they have a 
tendency to overspend when we don't watch.

  Further, I am concerned how this bill cuts nuclear nonproliferation 
programs that reduce nuclear risks and counter the global challenge of 
nuclear proliferation.
  Finally, the bill includes numerous controversial poison pill policy 
riders that sadly show extremist Republicans are not interested in 
bills that can gain bipartisan support and become law.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. America can and 
must do better on the new age frontiers of energy and water.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), my friend.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, the Energy and Water 
Appropriations bill is critical for national security, energy security, 
and creating jobs.
  I congratulate Chairman Chuck Fleischmann for his extraordinary 
success in developing this legislation, which is so crucial to achieve 
peace through strength. I respect but disagree with Ranking Member 
Marcy Kaptur.
  On passing H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, earlier this year, 
House Republicans have shown dedication to lead in a way that will 
secure America's energy independence. I am grateful for the strong 
actions taken to lower costs for families through deregulation. Biden's 
disastrous war on fossil fuels has helped war criminal Putin to finance 
his mass murder in Ukraine.
  Increasing domestic energy production is the best way to combat the 
dangerous dependency on Chinese-made or -supplied electric vehicle 
batteries and solar panels that further enrich the Chinese Communist 
Party.
  The green energy spending has been diverted into unsustainable 
boondoggles wasting taxpayers' money.
  I appreciate that this legislation supports critical missions at the 
Savannah River Site, which I am grateful to represent. As the only 
Member of Congress who ever worked at the Savannah River Site, I know 
firsthand of its importance and dedicated personnel.
  In South Carolina, nuclear energy has provided over 60 percent of the 
energy matrix, and I am grateful to Governor Henry McMaster, a champion 
for small modular reactors.
  Mr. Chair, I urge passage of the bill.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the full Committee on 
Appropriations.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, last year, the Energy and Water 
Development Appropriations bill lowered energy costs for families, 
created good-paying jobs by growing and supporting a robust clean 
energy sector and rebuilding water infrastructure, promoted American 
energy independence, strengthened our national security, and ensured 
American energy outcompeted China. Sadly, this is not what this year's 
bill does.
  The majority has put forth a bill that cuts domestic energy 
investments by a staggering 25.4 percent or $6.4 billion

[[Page H5068]]

lower than last year--with the consequences of increasing energy costs 
for American families at a time when families are living paycheck to 
paycheck and struggling with the high cost of living.
  This bill undermines growth and modernization of our energy 
infrastructure, weakens our national security, and it would yield 
leadership of the world's energy future to our greatest adversaries.
  As much as my Republican colleagues may refuse overwhelming evidence, 
deny scientific consensus, and ignore the catastrophic natural 
disasters becoming more severe and more common in their districts and 
across the country, we have no choice but to transform our energy 
sector to reflect our climate reality.
  The only path that addresses climate change, reduces our dependence 
on fossil fuels, and curbs our reliance on foreign energy is to 
diversify how we produce and store energy: wind, solar, hydroelectric, 
hydrogen, and geothermal.
  When it comes to addressing climate and driving a robust energy 
sector, our answer to the question of ``how'' must be ``everything 
under the sun.'' The Department of Energy's clean energy programs drive 
down energy costs, making it cheaper to expand domestic energy sources.
  For energy efficiency and renewable energy, the majority proposes 
cutting the Department of Energy's budget by $1.5 billion or 42 percent 
from the 2023 level. This office researches and develops manufacturing, 
building, energy management, and weatherization technologies that are 
critical to our Nation's growth and resilience. That is nearly half a 
billion dollars that will not be invested in our economic, energy, and 
climate future.
  Furthermore, Republicans would cut $4.5 billion from the High-
Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program. That program helps 250,000 
low- and moderate-income households save upwards of $1 billion on their 
energy bills annually, which creates 50,000 new jobs. There is a $1 
billion cut from the Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy 
Code Adoption, and $200 million from the State-based Home Energy 
Efficiency Contractor Training Grants. It means that if American 
families want to reduce their home energy consumption and lower their 
monthly bills, my Republican colleagues say ``no.''

  We must be innovative, creative, and aggressive in fighting for a 
clean energy future to make America resilient in the face of climate 
change, which is why it is irresponsible to cut $15 billion from the 
Department of Energy's Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program. 
That program supports critical projects that, for example, remove air 
pollutants that can cause asthma and cancer from the atmosphere.
  After watching the skies turn orange over parts of the East Coast and 
Midwest this summer, I would hope that we could agree that air 
pollution is a bad thing. Perhaps the majority feels differently. 
Sustainability, at its core, is a demand that we responsibly steward 
the planet and its natural resources to future generations. The 
majority fails this demand.
  If the proposed abandonment of America's energy future and of our 
ability to build a robust and diversified energy industry were not 
enough reason to vote against this bill, then the offensive political 
riders on race, gender, and sexuality should be.
  The majority continues to break the deal that the Speaker struck with 
the President earlier this year to avert a default. Democrats and 
Republicans from the House and Senate need to begin the process of 
negotiating and finding common ground to pass bipartisan appropriations 
bills immediately.

                              {time}  1800

  Pursuing these partisan bills all but guarantees we will need another 
continuing resolution in 3 weeks. Continuing resolutions may keep the 
government open, but they are no way to govern. There is no excuse to 
be considering bills written to appease a minority of this Chamber, who 
we know will not vote to fund the government.
  For all of these reasons, I cannot support this bill, and I urge my 
colleagues to vote against it.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the chair of the Interior, Environment, and 
Related Agencies Subcommittee.
  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, having been a former chairman of this 
committee, and either ranking member or chairman for the last 9 years, 
I guess, when I left, people asked me repeatedly, ``What kind of 
chairman will Mr. Fleischmann be of this committee?'' whether it was 
people from the Idaho National Laboratory, PNNL, or other places.
  I told them I thought he would be a great chairman, and this is why: 
He cares about the Department of Energy's lab complex, not just Oak 
Ridge, which he represents, but all the labs throughout the complex. He 
has been to a lot of them, visited them, and found out what they do. He 
cares about nuclear energy, which is important to me and important to 
him also, and many other aspects within the Department of Energy.
  I thought he would be a great chairman, and he has done a masterful 
job of putting this bill together.
  This bill contains many things that are vitally important to the 
future of this country, whether it is nuclear power or fusion energy, 
as we have talked about, or the next-generation reactors that are going 
to be developed; whether it is high-speed computing--Oak Ridge is 
probably the leader in high-speed computing, and all other agencies 
kind of depend on the Department of Energy's high-speed computing to do 
work for them; whether it is cybersecurity, and a lot of that is done 
at the Idaho National Laboratory and at other laboratories; whether it 
is renewable energy and the facility in Colorado. All of those things 
are important.
  What a lot of people forget about this bill is that about a third of 
it--36, 38 percent, something like that--is the defense part of this 
bill, NNSA, whether it is the nonproliferation that was mentioned by 
the ranking member, whether it is the defense cleanup portion of it, 
whether it is the weapons modernization program, or whether it is the 
part that I kind of like, which is the naval reactors program.
  When they started the naval reactors program at the Idaho National 
Laboratory, when they fueled the first submarine with nuclear energy, 
it lasted about 18 months, and then they had to refuel it. Because of 
the work they have done out there, we now fuel ships for the life of 
the ship. That is an amazing process that they have done, and it is 
because of the work that is done by the NNSA.
  However, that is just on the energy side of this bill. We could talk 
about that for a long time. The other important part of this bill is 
the water part of it. It is energy and water.
  The Army Corps of Engineers is funded through this bill, and they do 
the dredging for our ports and waterways throughout this country. 
Whether it is the Corps or the Bureau of Reclamation, I will tell you, 
every Member of Congress, I believe, has an Army Corps of Engineers 
project within their district. Therefore, this bill is important to 
them.
  I think the chairman has done a masterful job of putting this bill 
together.
  I enjoy listening to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, 
and they are good friends. We have worked together in a cordial way for 
many years, both Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Kaptur, who used 
to be chair of this committee, also. It goes back and forth.
  I enjoy their conversation on where we haven't spent enough money on 
this bill, and they have talked about how we can spend more money in 
certain areas to address certain things and that kind of stuff. The one 
thing they didn't mention, when they were talking about the fact that 
we need more money in these bills, is the $33 trillion deficit we have.
  I will guarantee you, it is easier to write bills when you are just 
expanding spending and have more money than you know what to do with to 
throw at all the different bills, which is the way it has been for the 
last couple of years. If they didn't have enough money, they took 
things out and made it emergency spending. We are having to deal with 
that.
  It is more difficult to write a bill where you have to actually 
reduce spending. I think everyone in our Conference on this side of the 
aisle realizes that we have to reduce spending if we are ever going to 
address the $33 trillion debt. It is just a small part of it,

[[Page H5069]]

but it is an important part of it. That is what we are trying to do in 
a responsible manner. That is what Chairman Fleischmann has done in a 
responsible manner.
  I find it kind of curious that as I have heard the ranking member of 
the full committee and the subcommittee talk, they have said that we 
have to spend more money because families are struggling, and then they 
say this is the best economy we have had in years and years. Which one 
is it? I don't understand. Is it both? Interesting. When can we address 
the debt and deficit in this bill? It is a challenge that we face.
  Again, I congratulate the chairman of the subcommittee for his work 
on this, and I also would be remiss if I didn't say something about the 
staff. They have done a fantastic job. They work incredible hours to 
get these bills ready for the floor, and they have done a good job on 
this one, too.
  Mr. Chair, I congratulate them and thank them for their work.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I look forward to responding to my dear 
friend, former Chair Simpson. However, first, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the ranking 
member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related 
Agencies Subcommittee, who does such a phenomenal job.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I stand here as a proud member of 
the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies 
for many years. I unfortunately rise in opposition to this harmful 
bill.
  Let's start with the two most obvious problems. It raises energy 
costs for families, and it has zero chance of becoming law.
  It was drafted with one goal: to appease MAGA extremists.
  The new Speaker of the House just spoke of reaching across the aisle 
for all Americans, yet one of the Republicans' first major acts is to 
jam through a bill that raises their energy costs and undermines our 
security, all just to keep their rightwing base happy.
  How do we know? Instead of fortifying our power infrastructure and 
confronting the climate crisis, it fixates on blocking the Army Corps 
of Engineers from renaming items that celebrate the Confederacy. You 
just cannot make up this stuff. That rockets to the top of the priority 
list for House Republicans.
  As we recover from the hottest summer on record, it cuts a critical 
clean energy program by half a billion dollars, choking off vital 
energy efficiency avenues to battle climate change. House Republicans 
have drafted a bill that is entirely removed from the realities that 
our families and the entire planet face right now.
  I recently had an affordable housing roundtable with Broward County 
in my home State of Florida, and they all talked about being rent 
burdened by climbing housing costs. Yet, this bill takes away funding 
to help American homeowners keep their homes safe and energy efficient 
to cut their power bill.
  Instead of investing in a stronger America, it cedes supremacy to a 
Chinese Communist Party that throws its full weight into infrastructure 
and clean energy investments.
  If Republicans want to craft a bill that helps American families, 
start by abiding by the bipartisan budget agreement that was signed 
into law by President Biden just a few months ago.
  In the rare instance where this bill actually honors that agreement, 
it fully funds a $425 million budget request for Everglades 
restoration, which I am thankful for, and it allows us to keep moving 
the EAA Reservoir project forward.
  Beyond that, though, this bill has dramatic funding gaps that 
jeopardize America's energy stability and independence. It raises costs 
for families, hurts job creation, fails to tackle the climate crisis, 
and rolls over to Chinese and Russian competitors.
  Mr. Chair, for all of these obvious reasons, I urge my colleagues to 
vote ``no.''
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I wish to offer a few thoughts here regarding 
what our esteemed colleague, Mr. Simpson, said about the Federal 
balance sheet.
  If you think of your own checkbook, when you work and earn money, you 
have an entry that is positive. You have a payroll check or earn 
interest on something. Then, if you have to pay a bill, you put a minus 
sign and subtract it, and you see what is left.
  What is interesting about the arguments from the folks on the other 
side of the aisle is, they only talk about what is subtracted. They 
don't talk about what is being added. Both revenues and expenditures 
are a part of the Federal budget.
  It is interesting to me. I have served in Congress for a while now, 
and the other side never talks about revenues. They only talk about 
expenditures. The interesting thing about revenues is when an economy 
is booming, you are bringing more revenue into the Federal Government. 
The Federal debt, as a percent of our economic prowess right now, is 
decreasing because we are growing the economy. What we are spending in 
this bill causes more economic growth. That is a good thing.
  What the other side is not talking about is that there are a lot of 
free riders in our country, and they are not paying their fair share of 
revenues into the Treasury. We have to talk about that side of the 
budget, too. There are a lot of people who are what I call free riders. 
We are paying for them. Some of the richest people in this country and 
some of the biggest corporations aren't paying their fair share of the 
load. You have to look at both sides of the ledger.
  I wanted to put that on the floor today in order to adopt the proper 
policies. It will be a most interesting discussion as we move forward 
with the new debt commission that has been formed. It will be 
interesting if they bring both pages in the ledger, both the revenues 
and the expenditures.
  As our chart shows, the Federal debt, as a percent of GDP, is going 
down for the first time in modern history. We better not do anything 
that stops that because it is one of the answers, as well as getting 
those who are free riders to pay their fair share.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), my friend and also my 
colleague on the congressional baseball team.
  Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Chair, I recognize the MVP of the baseball team very 
much for his heroic athletic ability during the climactic game that we 
had.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water 
Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which funds the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' civil works projects and the Department 
of Energy to enhance our energy security and bolster our economic 
competitiveness in FY24.
  Under President Biden, Americans have been forced to pay record 
prices at the pump, and our Strategic Petroleum Reserve has been 
decimated. We have become further reliant on China for critical 
minerals, crushed by overregulation, and watched the woke agenda 
destroy America's energy independence.
  This legislation rolls back America-last policies; robustly funds 
construction, operation, and maintenance of our Nation's ports and 
inland waterways; and provides $34.8 million for dredging in North 
Carolina's Third District alone.
  This bill includes $6.3 million for dredging the Atlantic 
Intracoastal Waterway--we call it the ICW--which is vital to the 
commercial and recreational fishing industry in my district, and $18 
million for dredging the Morehead City port, where our Marine 
expeditionary units deploy from Navy amphibious ships and play a vital 
role in our national security. God forbid we have to use them soon.
  Also included is funding for other important inlets that our fishing 
industry and ferries rely on, such as Manteo Bay, New River Inlet, 
Rollinson Channel, New Topsail Inlet and connecting channels, as well 
as Silver Lake Harbor.
  Lastly, it includes $5.2 million for the channel from Back Sound to 
Lookout Bight, which connects the ferry system to Cape Lookout. It has 
not been dredged in over 30 years, and it is common for vessels to run 
aground that must be pulled off the shoal with a very expensive 
movement by the U.S. Coast Guard.
  I am very grateful for the work of Energy and Water Development, and

[[Page H5070]]

Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Fleischmann, aka the MVP of the 
baseball team, for putting forward a bill that recognizes the unique 
challenges and needs of our coastal communities across the country.
  Mr. Chair, I support this year's energy and water development 
appropriations bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

                              {time}  1815

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. LaMalfa), my very good friend and fellow member of the 
Italian caucus.
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the time from my great colleague 
from Tennessee who works a lot on the important energy field, and it is 
great to work with him.
  Mr. Chair, I do rise today in support of the Energy and Water 
Development Appropriations Act. This funding bill cuts billions of 
needless spending from the Democrats' budget-busting spending bills of 
the last Congress and continues prioritizing funding toward our 
Nation's water infrastructure so desperately needed, especially in my 
home State of California.
  Stored water means water for people and for agriculture. It means 
hydroelectricity can be generated, which is green power. It means flood 
control. It means recreation, yes, even environmental water, which is 
already getting the lion's share of the water we have in my home State.
  Additionally, I am pleased to see H.R. 215, the WATER for California 
Act is included in this legislation, which my colleague Representative 
Valadao and I worked on with the entire Republican delegation from 
California.
  The WATER for California Act restores the basic principle of fairness 
for water users in California by requiring the Bureau of Reclamation to 
follow the terms of their water contracts and use the best available 
science to operate the Central Valley project.
  This would also eliminate the environmental blockade against using 
water storage funds to move forward with the enlargement of Shasta Dam 
in my district, an opportunity to store 630,000 new acre-feet at an 
existing structure. That should be easy.
  Lastly, this measure prohibits the administration from completely 
changing all the rules, regulations, and procedures of the California 
water system on a whim simply to satisfy the radical environmentalists, 
much to the detriment of our farms and agriculture, and forcing urban 
water users to have to ration water to the tune of 42 gallons of water 
per day.
  Imagine, you have got a wading pool for your kids or your pets or 
whatever. It might take 3 days of your water ration to fill a wading 
pool under what they have coming down the pike on rationing water and 
limiting.
  We have so much water flowing out to the Pacific through the Delta 
that is being wasted. We have water right now being let out of the dams 
in order to meet their conservation level for flood control later, that 
should be put someplace that can be helpful such as the San Luis 
Reservoir.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill and get 
some common sense back into our water supply.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, Congress needs to write bills that meet our 
country's needs, and I reiterate my disappointment that the energy and 
water bill before us today does not adhere to the agreed to levels in 
the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
  The American people are counting on us to work together, not draft 
partisan bills that will never become law.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4394--Energy 
and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. 
This bill needs to be revised to be truly bipartisan to serve the 
American people and Houston.
  As with all the additional appropriation bills that have been up for 
consideration on the House Floor, I strongly oppose the passage of this 
bill for a myriad of reasons--including the following listed below.
  The majority has put forth a bill that increases energy costs for 
American families, undermines the growth and modernization of our 
energy infrastructure, weakens our national security, and would yield 
the world's energy future to foes abroad.
  With massive cuts that renege on the debt limit agreement that was 
just signed into law, the 2024 Energy and Water bill raises costs for 
families and weakens energy security and our ability to out-compete 
China.
  The bill invests $55.2 billion, a decrease of $3.9 billion or 6.5 
percent below 2023.
  Further, the bill's domestic allocation is effectively 21.5 percent, 
$5.4 billion, below 2023 while its defense allocation is 3.5 percent, 
$1.1 billion, above 2023, creating a further disparity between domestic 
and defense programs.
  This harmful legislation would have the following damaging impact on 
America:
  Increases energy costs by cutting the Department of Energy's clean 
energy programs that lower American families' energy bills;
  Jeopardizes energy security by enabling Russia to continue 
weaponizing energy to destabilize global markets;
  Hurts U.S. competitiveness by allowing competitors like China to 
monopolize markets for new energy technology; and
  Fails to confront the climate crisis and create better-paying, clean 
energy jobs.
  The bill cuts the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy account by $466 million or 14 percent below 2023 ($1.8 
billion or 38 percent below the President's budget request). This 
office is critical to developing manufacturing, building efficiency, 
clean energy like hydrogen and solar, and weatherization technologies 
that are critical to our Nation's growth and resilience.
  The bill includes dangerous cuts that House Democrats have been 
sounding the alarm about for months.
  With this bill, House Republicans irresponsibly:
  Call for $5.7 billion in untenable repeals from the Department of 
Energy's Inflation Reduction Act programs, including:
  $4.5 billion from the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program;
  $1 billion from the Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy 
Code Adoption; and
  $200 million from the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor 
Training Grants.
  Repurpose critical Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) 
resources including:
  $3.6 billion from the Department of Energy's IIJA Civil Nuclear 
Credit Program that help preserve the existing U.S. reactor fleet and 
save thousands of high-paying jobs across the country; and

  $84 million from the Corps of Engineers' IIJA programs.
  Revoke $15 billion in loan authority from the Department of Energy's 
Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program--an increasingly 
successful program that promotes climate-friendly innovation and 
American manufacturing.
  Sadly, this bill exemplifies Republican misguided values: increasing 
costs for hardworking families, decreasing job opportunities, failing 
to confront the climate crisis, and allowing Russia and China to 
outcompete us.
  In an attempt to provide some reasonable action in this unreasonable 
legislation, I offered an amendment for consideration by the Rules 
Committee that would help our Nation's government take seriously our 
ever-changing climate and the crises that ensue creating national and 
international instability at unprecedented levels and degree.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment (Rules Committee No. 121) to H.R. 4394--
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2024, if adopted would have added the following language to this bill:
  It is the sense of Congress that energy and water are emerging as 
paramount and critical issues, posing challenges not only to the United 
States' national security and economy but to the stability of the 
global community; and
  As each nation grapples with climate change, which is evidenced by 
climatic events taking place in this nation and others over the last 
decade, where precipitation in all of its forms and extreme drought 
have triggered calamities that clearly inform decision makers that 
nations must be purposeful in preparing to meet these challenges to 
protect life and human advancement in all of its forms.
  Temperatures are rising, snow and rainfall patterns are shifting, and 
more extreme climate events--like heavy rainstorms and record high 
temperatures--are becoming more common.
  The planet's oceans and glaciers have also experienced changes--
oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice caps are melting, and 
sea level is rising.
  As these and other changes become more pronounced in the coming 
decades, they will

[[Page H5071]]

likely present challenges to our society and our environment, our 
country and our world.
  This summer saw the hottest days in Earth's modern history as a 
climate-change fueled surge of heat shattered temperature records 
across the globe.
  According to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies 
(GISS) in New York, the summer of 2023 was Earth's hottest since global 
records began in 1880.
  The months of June, July, and August combined were 0.41 degrees 
Fahrenheit (0.23 degrees Celsius) warmer than any other summer in 
NASA's record, and 2.1 degrees F (1.2 C) warmer than the average summer 
between 1951 and 1980. August alone was 2.2 F (1.2 C) warmer than the 
average.
  This new record comes as exceptional heat swept across much of the 
world, exacerbating deadly wildfires in Canada and Hawaii, and searing 
heat waves in South America, Japan, Europe, and the U.S., while likely 
contributing to severe rainfall in Italy, Greece, and Central Europe.
  As backed up by NASA and global scientists and witnessed by everyone 
across the world, the Summer of 2023's record-setting temperatures are 
not just a set of numbers--they result in dire real-world consequences.
  From sweltering temperatures in Arizona and across the country, to 
wildfires across Canada, extreme flooding in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 
as well as catastrophic earthquakes striking across the Middle East, 
extreme weather is threatening lives and livelihoods around the globe.
  As we entered into the fall, September started with a typhoon that 
ripped through Hong Kong, uprooting trees and flooding the city.
  It was the first of a slew of extreme weather events that hit ten 
countries and territories in just 12 days--the most catastrophic being 
the floods in Libya, which have killed more than 11,000 people 
according to the UN and left many thousands missing.
  Scientists warn that these types of extreme weather events, affecting 
countries all over the world, may become increasingly common as the 
climate crisis accelerates, putting pressure on governments to prepare.
  These real impacts of climate change are a threat to our planet and 
future generations that we must continue to confront and tackle head 
on.
  The scientific evidence is overwhelming, and we will no doubt 
continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent 
extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we come 
to acknowledge and accept the devastating impact of climate change and 
actively stop the harms that are contributing to the deadly and 
damaging climate crises of our time and inevitably forthcoming in our 
future.
  Texans and the constituents in my home district of Houston are no 
strangers to the adverse impacts and dangers of climate change.
  When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, dumping over 50 inches of 
rain on Houston, it caused more than $125 billion in economic damage as 
my constituents' homes, workplaces, schools, and businesses flooded.
  Yet, research has shown that climate change made Harvey's torrential 
rainfall much worse, roughly 15 percent to 38 percent greater rainfall 
than it would have been in a world that was not warming.
  This difference is far from insignificant--up to 50 percent of the 
properties that flooded in Harris County might have escaped that fate 
in a world without climate change.
  Houstonians are not the only ones to have faced harm from climate 
change fueled national disasters.
  Since 1980, the US has sustained 341 weather and climate disasters, 
coasting over $2.4 trillion in all.
  However, for Houstonians, Texans, and all of our constituents, the 
worst of the threat is far from over.
  The US coastline is projected to rise 10 to 12 inches in the next 30 
years, threatening the coastal states and vastly increasing the risk of 
flooding for those on either coast.
  Average global temperatures will continue to rise, prompting a crop 
loss of 10 percent in the next 5 to 25 years, melting glaciers, and 
further driving the rise of sea levels.
  It is estimated that climate change could cost from 30 to over 100 
billion dollars per year, along with significant potential for economic 
and federal revenue losses.
  The OMB has predicted that climate change could reduce the national 
GDP by as much as 10 percent by the end of the century, costing a $2 
trillion loss in the federal budget.
  Further, some of the most severe harms from climate change will fall 
disproportionately on socially vulnerable populations, including racial 
and ethnic minority communities.
  Additionally, the GAO has highlighted that climate change further 
poses threats to national security, as rising sea levels and 
catastrophic storms threaten both military and civilian infrastructure 
and can even affect migration patterns.
  There is no Planet B. We must address the existential threat of 
climate change now.
  We are seeing the consequences of climate change at home and abroad.
  However, Republicans continue to deny the scientific consensus of 
climate change.
  Now more than ever before, we need to strengthen our energy security 
and diversify our energy sources, so we are not dependent on global 
adversaries--while also tackling the devastating global and economic 
policies impacting our climate.
  And yet today, House Republicans are putting forth a bill that 
threatens to raise energy costs for more than 250,000 U.S. households 
and halt the creation of more than 50,000 new jobs, while failing to 
acknowledge and address energy policies that are decimating our global 
climates.
  I call upon my fellow colleagues across the aisle to stand up against 
these harmful and dangerous policies offered in this appropriations 
bill.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in opposition to H.R. 
4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Act of 
2024.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Rose). All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule. The amendment printed in part A of House 
Report 118-242, shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as 
amended, shall be considered as read.
  The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

                               H.R. 4394

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That

                                TITLE I

                       CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL

                         DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

                       Corps of Engineers--Civil

       The following appropriations shall be expended under the 
     direction of the Secretary of the Army and the supervision of 
     the Chief of Engineers for authorized civil functions of the 
     Department of the Army pertaining to river and harbor, flood 
     and storm damage reduction, shore protection, aquatic 
     ecosystem restoration, and related efforts.

                             investigations

       For expenses necessary where authorized by law for the 
     collection and study of basic information pertaining to river 
     and harbor, flood and storm damage reduction, shore 
     protection, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and related needs; 
     for surveys and detailed studies, and plans and 
     specifications of proposed river and harbor, flood and storm 
     damage reduction, shore protection, and aquatic ecosystem 
     restoration projects, and related efforts prior to 
     construction; for restudy of authorized projects; and for 
     miscellaneous investigations, and, when authorized by law, 
     surveys and detailed studies, and plans and specifications of 
     projects prior to construction, $136,087,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That the Secretary shall 
     not deviate from the work plan, once the plan has been 
     submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses 
     of Congress.

                              construction

       For expenses necessary for the construction of river and 
     harbor, flood and storm damage reduction, shore protection, 
     aquatic ecosystem restoration, and related projects 
     authorized by law; for conducting detailed studies, and plans 
     and specifications, of such projects (including those 
     involving participation by States, local governments, or 
     private groups) authorized or made eligible for selection by 
     law (but such detailed studies, and plans and specifications, 
     shall not constitute a commitment of the Government to 
     construction); $2,889,942,000, to remain available until 
     expended; of which $74,152,000, to be derived from the Harbor 
     Maintenance Trust Fund, shall be to cover the Federal share 
     of construction costs for facilities under the Dredged 
     Material Disposal Facilities program; and of which such sums 
     as are necessary to cover 35 percent of the costs of 
     construction, replacement, rehabilitation, and expansion of 
     inland waterways projects shall be derived from the Inland 
     Waterways Trust Fund, except as otherwise specifically 
     provided for in law:  Provided, That the Secretary shall not 
     deviate from the work plan, once the plan has been submitted 
     to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
     Congress.

                   mississippi river and tributaries

       For expenses necessary for flood damage reduction projects 
     and related efforts in the Mississippi River alluvial valley 
     below Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as authorized by law, 
     $364,349,000, to remain available until expended, of which 
     $5,457,000, to be derived from the Harbor Maintenance Trust 
     Fund, shall be to cover the Federal share of eligible 
     operation and maintenance costs for inland harbors:  
     Provided, That the Secretary shall not deviate from the work 
     plan, once the plan has been submitted to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

                       operation and maintenance

       For expenses necessary for the operation, maintenance, and 
     care of existing river and harbor, flood and storm damage 
     reduction, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and related 
     projects authorized by law; providing security for 
     infrastructure owned or operated by

[[Page H5072]]

     the Corps, including administrative buildings and 
     laboratories; maintaining harbor channels provided by a 
     State, municipality, or other public agency that serve 
     essential navigation needs of general commerce, where 
     authorized by law; surveying and charting northern and 
     northwestern lakes and connecting waters; clearing and 
     straightening channels; and removing obstructions to 
     navigation, $5,496,622,000, to remain available until 
     expended, of which $2,691,391,000, to be derived from the 
     Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, shall be to cover the Federal 
     share of eligible operations and maintenance costs for 
     coastal harbors and channels, and for inland harbors; of 
     which such sums as become available from the special account 
     for the Corps of Engineers established by the Land and Water 
     Conservation Fund Act of 1965 shall be derived from that 
     account for resource protection, research, interpretation, 
     and maintenance activities related to resource protection in 
     the areas at which outdoor recreation is available; of which 
     such sums as become available from fees collected under 
     section 217 of Public Law 104-303 shall be used to cover the 
     cost of operation and maintenance of the dredged material 
     disposal facilities for which such fees have been collected; 
     and of which $58,000,000, to be derived from the general fund 
     of the Treasury, shall be to carry out subsection (c) of 
     section 2106 of the Water Resources Reform and Development 
     Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 2238c) and shall be designated as 
     being for such purpose pursuant to paragraph (2) of section 
     14003 of division B of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 
     Economic Security Act (Public Law 116-136):  Provided, That 1 
     percent of the total amount of funds provided for each of the 
     programs, projects, or activities funded under this heading 
     shall not be allocated to a field operating activity prior to 
     the beginning of the fourth quarter of the fiscal year and 
     shall be available for use by the Chief of Engineers to fund 
     such emergency activities as the Chief of Engineers 
     determines to be necessary and appropriate, and that the 
     Chief of Engineers shall allocate during the fourth quarter 
     any remaining funds which have not been used for emergency 
     activities proportionally in accordance with the amounts 
     provided for the programs, projects, or activities:  Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall not deviate from the work 
     plan, once the plan has been submitted to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.

                           regulatory program

       For expenses necessary for administration of laws 
     pertaining to regulation of navigable waters and wetlands, 
     $218,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025.

            formerly utilized sites remedial action program

       For expenses necessary to clean up contamination from sites 
     in the United States resulting from work performed as part of 
     the Nation's early atomic energy program, $200,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

                 flood control and coastal emergencies

       For expenses necessary to prepare for flood, hurricane, and 
     other natural disasters and support emergency operations, 
     repairs, and other activities in response to such disasters 
     as authorized by law, $40,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

                                expenses

       For expenses necessary for the supervision and general 
     administration of the civil works program in the headquarters 
     of the Corps of Engineers and the offices of the Division 
     Engineers; and for costs of management and operation of the 
     Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, the Institute for 
     Water Resources, the United States Army Engineer Research and 
     Development Center, and the United States Army Corps of 
     Engineers Finance Center allocable to the civil works 
     program, $215,000,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2025, of which not to exceed $5,000 may be used for 
     official reception and representation purposes and only 
     during the current fiscal year:  Provided, That no part of 
     any other appropriation provided in this title shall be 
     available to fund the civil works activities of the Office of 
     the Chief of Engineers or the civil works executive direction 
     and management activities of the division offices:  Provided 
     further, That any Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies 
     appropriation may be used to fund the supervision and general 
     administration of emergency operations, repairs, and other 
     activities in response to any flood, hurricane, or other 
     natural disaster.

     office of the assistant secretary of the army for civil works

       For the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
     Civil Works as authorized by 10 U.S.C. 3016(b)(3), 
     $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025:  
     Provided, That not more than 25 percent of such amount may be 
     obligated or expended until the Assistant Secretary submits 
     to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
     Congress the report required under section 101(d) of this Act 
     and a work plan that allocates at least 95 percent of the 
     additional funding provided under each heading in the report 
     accompanying this Act to specific programs, projects, or 
     activities.

      water infrastructure finance and innovation program account

       For administrative expenses to carry out the direct and 
     guaranteed loan programs authorized by the Water 
     Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, 
     $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025.

             GENERAL PROVISIONS--CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 101. (a) None of the funds provided in title I of this 
     Act, or provided by previous appropriations Acts to the 
     agencies or entities funded in title I of this Act that 
     remain available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 
     2024, shall be available for obligation or expenditure 
     through a reprogramming of funds that:
       (1) creates or initiates a new program, project, or 
     activity;
       (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
       (3) increases funds or personnel for any program, project, 
     or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted by 
     this Act, unless prior approval is received from the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress;
       (4) proposes to use funds directed for a specific activity 
     for a different purpose, unless prior approval is received 
     from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
     Congress;
       (5) augments or reduces existing programs, projects, or 
     activities in excess of the amounts contained in paragraphs 
     (6) through (10), unless prior approval is received from the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress;
       (6) Investigations.--For a base level over $100,000, 
     reprogramming of 25 percent of the base amount up to a limit 
     of $150,000 per project, study or activity is allowed:  
     Provided, That for a base level less than $100,000, the 
     reprogramming limit is $25,000:  Provided further, That up to 
     $25,000 may be reprogrammed into any continuing study or 
     activity that did not receive an appropriation for existing 
     obligations and concomitant administrative expenses;
       (7) Construction.--For a base level over $2,000,000, 
     reprogramming of 15 percent of the base amount up to a limit 
     of $3,000,000 per project, study or activity is allowed:  
     Provided, That for a base level less than $2,000,000, the 
     reprogramming limit is $300,000:  Provided further, That up 
     to $3,000,000 may be reprogrammed for settled contractor 
     claims, changed conditions, or real estate deficiency 
     judgments:  Provided further, That up to $300,000 may be 
     reprogrammed into any continuing study or activity that did 
     not receive an appropriation for existing obligations and 
     concomitant administrative expenses;
       (8) Operation and maintenance.--Unlimited reprogramming 
     authority is granted for the Corps to be able to respond to 
     emergencies:  Provided, That the Chief of Engineers shall 
     notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
     Congress of these emergency actions as soon thereafter as 
     practicable:  Provided further, That for a base level over 
     $1,000,000, reprogramming of 15 percent of the base amount up 
     to a limit of $5,000,000 per project, study, or activity is 
     allowed:  Provided further, That for a base level less than 
     $1,000,000, the reprogramming limit is $150,000:  Provided 
     further, That $150,000 may be reprogrammed into any 
     continuing study or activity that did not receive an 
     appropriation;
       (9) Mississippi river and tributaries.--The reprogramming 
     guidelines in paragraphs (6), (7), and (8) shall apply to the 
     Investigations, Construction, and Operation and Maintenance 
     portions of the Mississippi River and Tributaries Account, 
     respectively; and
       (10) Formerly utilized sites remedial action program.--
     Reprogramming of up to 15 percent of the base of the 
     receiving project is permitted.
       (b) De Minimus Reprogrammings.--In no case should a 
     reprogramming for less than $50,000 be submitted to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
       (c) Continuing Authorities Program.--Subsection (a)(1) 
     shall not apply to any project or activity funded under the 
     continuing authorities program.
       (d) Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress to 
     establish the baseline for application of reprogramming and 
     transfer authorities for the current fiscal year which shall 
     include:
       (1) A table for each appropriation with a separate column 
     to display the President's budget request, adjustments made 
     by Congress, adjustments due to enacted rescissions, if 
     applicable, and the fiscal year enacted level;
       (2) A delineation in the table for each appropriation both 
     by object class and program, project and activity as detailed 
     in the budget appendix for the respective appropriations; and
       (3) An identification of items of special congressional 
     interest.
       Sec. 102.  The Secretary shall allocate funds made 
     available in this Act solely in accordance with the 
     provisions of this Act and in the report accompanying this 
     Act.
       Sec. 103.  None of the funds made available in this title 
     may be used to award or modify any contract that commits 
     funds beyond the amounts appropriated for that program, 
     project, or activity that remain unobligated, except that 
     such amounts may include any funds that have been made 
     available through reprogramming pursuant to section 101.
       Sec. 104.  The Secretary of the Army may transfer to the 
     Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service 
     may accept and expend, up to $8,200,000 of funds provided in 
     this title under the heading ``Operation and

[[Page H5073]]

     Maintenance'' to mitigate for fisheries lost due to Corps of 
     Engineers projects.
       Sec. 105.  None of the funds in this Act shall be used for 
     an open lake placement alternative for dredged material, 
     after evaluating the least costly, environmentally acceptable 
     manner for the disposal or management of dredged material 
     originating from Lake Erie or tributaries thereto, unless it 
     is approved under a State water quality certification 
     pursuant to section 401 of the Federal Water Pollution 
     Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1341):  Provided, That until an open 
     lake placement alternative for dredged material is approved 
     under a State water quality certification, the Corps of 
     Engineers shall continue upland placement of such dredged 
     material consistent with the requirements of section 101 of 
     the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2211).
       Sec. 106.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to carry out any water supply reallocation study 
     under the Wolf Creek Dam, Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, project 
     authorized under the Act of July 24, 1946 (60 Stat. 636, ch. 
     595).
       Sec. 107.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     any other Act may be used to reorganize or to transfer the 
     Civil Works functions or authority of the Corps of Engineers 
     or the Secretary of the Army to another department or agency.
       Sec. 108.  Additional funding provided in this Act shall be 
     allocated only to projects determined to be eligible by the 
     Chief of Engineers.
       Sec. 109.  The rule submitted by the Department of the 
     Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense, and the 
     Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Revised 
     Definition of `Waters of the United States' '' (88 Fed. Reg. 
     3004 (January 18, 2023)) shall have no force or effect.
       Sec. 110.  As of the date of enactment of this Act and each 
     fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the Army shall not 
     promulgate or enforce any regulation that prohibits an 
     individual from possessing a firearm, including an assembled 
     or functional firearm, at a water resources development 
     project covered under section 327.0 of title 36, Code of 
     Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
     this Act) if:
       (1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from 
     possessing a firearm; and
       (2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the 
     law of the State in which the water resources development 
     project is located.
       Sec. 111.  None of the funds made available by this Act or 
     any other Act in any fiscal year may be used to alter the 
     eligibility requirements for assistance under section 5 of 
     the Act of August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n) in effect on 
     November 14, 2022, without express authorization by Congress.
       Sec. 112.  Notwithstanding any other requirement, 
     unobligated balances from amounts made available under the 
     heading ``Corps of Engineers--Civil--Construction'' in 
     division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
     (Public Law 117-58) for which spend plan allocations have not 
     been announced as of the date of enactment of this Act may be 
     made available for projects, regardless of project purpose, 
     that have previously received funds under the heading ``Corps 
     of Engineers--Civil--Construction'' in the Bipartisan Budget 
     Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123) and for which non-Federal 
     interests have entered into binding agreements with the 
     Secretary as of the date of enactment of this Act:  Provided, 
     That projects receiving Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
     Act (Public Law 117-58) funding pursuant to this section 
     shall be subject only to the terms and conditions of the 
     Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-123):  Provided 
     further, That amounts repurposed pursuant to this section 
     that were previously designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or a concurrent 
     resolution on the budget are designated by the Congress as an 
     emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of 
     the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985.

                                TITLE II

                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                          Central Utah Project

                central utah project completion account

       For carrying out activities authorized by the Central Utah 
     Project Completion Act, $23,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended, of which $4,650,000 shall be deposited into 
     the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Account for 
     use by the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation 
     Commission:  Provided, That of the amount provided under this 
     heading, $1,750,000 shall be available until September 30, 
     2025, for expenses necessary in carrying out related 
     responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior:  Provided 
     further, That for fiscal year 2024, of the amount made 
     available to the Commission under this Act or any other Act, 
     the Commission may use an amount not to exceed $1,990,000 for 
     administrative expenses.

                         Bureau of Reclamation

       The following appropriations shall be expended to execute 
     authorized functions of the Bureau of Reclamation:

                      water and related resources

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For management, development, and restoration of water and 
     related natural resources and for related activities, 
     including the operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of 
     reclamation and other facilities, participation in fulfilling 
     related Federal responsibilities to Native Americans, and 
     related grants to, and cooperative and other agreements with, 
     State and local governments, federally recognized Indian 
     Tribes, and others, $1,693,366,000, to remain available until 
     expended, of which $1,051,000 shall be available for transfer 
     to the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund and $7,584,000 shall 
     be available for transfer to the Lower Colorado River Basin 
     Development Fund; of which such amounts as may be necessary 
     may be advanced to the Colorado River Dam Fund:  Provided, 
     That $500,000 shall be available for transfer into the Aging 
     Infrastructure Account established by section 9603(d)(1) of 
     the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, as amended 
     (43 U.S.C. 510b(d)(1)):  Provided further, That such 
     transfers, except for the transfer authorized by the 
     preceding proviso, may be increased or decreased within the 
     overall appropriation under this heading:  Provided further, 
     That of the total appropriated, the amount for program 
     activities that can be financed by the Reclamation Fund, the 
     Water Storage Enhancement Receipts account established by 
     section 4011(e) of Public Law 114-322, or the Bureau of 
     Reclamation special fee account established by 16 U.S.C. 6806 
     shall be derived from that Fund or account:  Provided 
     further, That funds contributed under 43 U.S.C. 395 are 
     available until expended for the purposes for which the funds 
     were contributed:  Provided further, That funds advanced 
     under 43 U.S.C. 397a shall be credited to this account and 
     are available until expended for the same purposes as the 
     sums appropriated under this heading:  Provided further, That 
     of the amounts made available under this heading, $5,500,000 
     shall be deposited in the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund 
     established by section 110 of title I of division B of 
     appendix D of Public Law 106-554:  Provided further, That of 
     the amounts provided herein, funds may be used for high-
     priority projects which shall be carried out by the Youth 
     Conservation Corps, as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1706:  
     Provided further, That within available funds, $250,000 shall 
     be for grants and financial assistance for educational 
     activities:  Provided further, That in accordance with 
     section 4007 of Public Law 114-322 and as recommended by the 
     Secretary in letters dated February 13, 2019, June 22, 2020, 
     and December 3, 2020, funding provided for such purpose in 
     this and prior fiscal years shall be made available to the 
     Shasta Dam and Reservoir Enlargement Project.

                central valley project restoration fund

       For carrying out the programs, projects, plans, habitat 
     restoration, improvement, and acquisition provisions of the 
     Central Valley Project Improvement Act, such sums as may be 
     collected in fiscal year 2024 in the Central Valley Project 
     Restoration Fund pursuant to sections 3407(d), 3404(c)(3), 
     and 3405(f) of Public Law 102-575, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That the Bureau of Reclamation is 
     directed to assess and collect the full amount of the 
     additional mitigation and restoration payments authorized by 
     section 3407(d) of Public Law 102-575:  Provided further, 
     That none of the funds made available under this heading may 
     be used for the acquisition or leasing of water for in-stream 
     purposes if the water is already committed to in-stream 
     purposes by a court adopted decree or order.

                    california bay-delta restoration

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For carrying out activities authorized by the Water Supply, 
     Reliability, and Environmental Improvement Act, consistent 
     with plans to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior, 
     $33,000,000, to remain available until expended, of which 
     such amounts as may be necessary to carry out such activities 
     may be transferred to appropriate accounts of other 
     participating Federal agencies to carry out authorized 
     purposes:  Provided, That funds appropriated herein may be 
     used for the Federal share of the costs of Calfed Program 
     management:  Provided further, That Calfed implementation 
     shall be carried out in a balanced manner with clear 
     performance measures demonstrating concurrent progress in 
     achieving the goals and objectives of the Program.

                       policy and administration

       For expenses necessary for policy, administration, and 
     related functions in the Office of the Commissioner, the 
     Denver office, and offices in the six regions of the Bureau 
     of Reclamation, to remain available until September 30, 2025, 
     $65,079,000, to be derived from the Reclamation Fund and be 
     nonreimbursable as provided in 43 U.S.C. 377, of which not to 
     exceed $5,000 may be used for official reception and 
     representation expenses:  Provided, That no part of any other 
     appropriation in this Act shall be available for activities 
     or functions budgeted as policy and administration expenses.

                        administrative provision

       Appropriations for the Bureau of Reclamation shall be 
     available for purchase and replacement of not to exceed 30 
     motor vehicles, which are for replacement only.

             GENERAL PROVISIONS--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

       Sec. 201. (a) None of the funds provided in title II of 
     this Act for Water and Related Resources, or provided by 
     previous or subsequent appropriations Acts to the agencies or 
     entities funded in title II of this Act for Water and Related 
     Resources that remain

[[Page H5074]]

     available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 2024, 
     shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming of funds that--
       (1) initiates or creates a new program, project, or 
     activity;
       (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
       (3) increases funds for any program, project, or activity 
     for which funds have been denied or restricted by this Act, 
     unless prior approval is received from the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress;
       (4) restarts or resumes any program, project or activity 
     for which funds are not provided in this Act, unless prior 
     approval is received from the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress;
       (5) transfers funds in excess of the following limits, 
     unless prior approval is received from the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:
       (A) 15 percent for any program, project or activity for 
     which $2,000,000 or more is available at the beginning of the 
     fiscal year; or
       (B) $400,000 for any program, project or activity for which 
     less than $2,000,000 is available at the beginning of the 
     fiscal year;
       (6) transfers more than $500,000 from either the Facilities 
     Operation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation category or the 
     Resources Management and Development category to any program, 
     project, or activity in the other category, unless prior 
     approval is received from the Committees on Appropriations of 
     both Houses of Congress; or
       (7) transfers, where necessary to discharge legal 
     obligations of the Bureau of Reclamation, more than 
     $5,000,000 to provide adequate funds for settled contractor 
     claims, increased contractor earnings due to accelerated 
     rates of operations, and real estate deficiency judgments, 
     unless prior approval is received from the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
       (b) Subsection (a)(5) shall not apply to any transfer of 
     funds within the Facilities Operation, Maintenance, and 
     Rehabilitation category.
       (c) For purposes of this section, the term ``transfer'' 
     means any movement of funds into or out of a program, 
     project, or activity.
       (d) Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b), the 
     amounts made available in this title under the heading 
     ``Bureau of Reclamation--Water and Related Resources'' shall 
     be expended for the programs, projects, and activities 
     specified in the ``House Recommended'' columns in the ``Water 
     and Related Resources'' table included under the heading 
     ``Title II--Department of the Interior'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act.
       (e) The Bureau of Reclamation shall submit reports on a 
     quarterly basis to the Committees on Appropriations of both 
     Houses of Congress detailing all the funds reprogrammed 
     between programs, projects, activities, or categories of 
     funding. The first quarterly report shall be submitted not 
     later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 202. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this Act may be used to determine the final 
     point of discharge for the interceptor drain for the San Luis 
     Unit until development by the Secretary of the Interior and 
     the State of California of a plan, which shall conform to the 
     water quality standards of the State of California as 
     approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
     Agency, to minimize any detrimental effect of the San Luis 
     drainage waters.
       (b) The costs of the Kesterson Reservoir Cleanup Program 
     and the costs of the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program 
     shall be classified by the Secretary of the Interior as 
     reimbursable or nonreimbursable and collected until fully 
     repaid pursuant to the ``Cleanup Program--Alternative 
     Repayment Plan'' and the ``SJVDP--Alternative Repayment 
     Plan'' described in the report entitled ``Repayment Report, 
     Kesterson Reservoir Cleanup Program and San Joaquin Valley 
     Drainage Program, February 1995'', prepared by the Department 
     of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. Any future 
     obligations of funds by the United States relating to, or 
     providing for, drainage service or drainage studies for the 
     San Luis Unit shall be fully reimbursable by San Luis Unit 
     beneficiaries of such service or studies pursuant to Federal 
     reclamation law.

                               TITLE III

                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

                            ENERGY PROGRAMS

                 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

       For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, 
     and other expenses necessary for energy efficiency and 
     renewable energy activities in carrying out the purposes of 
     the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et 
     seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real 
     property or any facility or for plant or facility 
     acquisition, construction, or expansion, $2,994,000,000 
     (reduced by $1,000,000,000), to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That of such amount, $223,000,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

         Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response

       For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, 
     and other expenses necessary for energy sector cybersecurity, 
     energy security, and emergency response activities in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any 
     facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, 
     or expansion, $200,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That of such amount, $25,143,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                              Electricity

       For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, 
     and other expenses necessary for electricity activities in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any 
     facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, 
     or expansion, $315,600,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That of such amount, $23,000,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                             Nuclear Energy

       For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, 
     and other expenses necessary for nuclear energy activities in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any 
     facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, 
     or expansion, $1,783,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.  Provided, That of such amount, $85,500,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction: 
      Provided further, That for the purpose of section 954(a)(6) 
     of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as amended, the only amount 
     available shall be from the amount specified as including 
     that purpose in the ``House Recommended'' column in the 
     ``Department of Energy'' table included under the heading 
     ``Title III--Department of Energy'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act.

                  Fossil Energy and Carbon Management

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out 
     fossil energy and carbon management research and development 
     activities, under the authority of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition of interest, including defeasible and equitable 
     interests in any real property or any facility or for plant 
     or facility acquisition or expansion, and for conducting 
     inquiries, technological investigations and research 
     concerning the extraction, processing, use, and disposal of 
     mineral substances without objectionable social and 
     environmental costs (30 U.S.C. 3, 1602, and 1603), 
     $857,904,000, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That of such amount $70,000,000 shall be available until 
     September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                 Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary to carry out 
     naval petroleum and oil shale reserve activities, 
     $13,010,000, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That notwithstanding any other provision of law, unobligated 
     funds remaining from prior years shall be available for all 
     naval petroleum and oil shale reserve activities.

                      Strategic Petroleum Reserve

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary for Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve facility development and operations and 
     program management activities pursuant to the Energy Policy 
     and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.), $280,969,000, 
     to remain available until expended.

                   Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary for Northeast 
     Home Heating Oil Reserve storage, operation, and management 
     activities pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.), $7,150,000, to remain available 
     until expended.

                   Energy Information Administration

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out 
     the activities of the Energy Information Administration, 
     $135,000,000, to remain available until expended.

                   Non-Defense Environmental Cleanup

       For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment 
     and other expenses necessary for non-defense environmental 
     cleanup activities in carrying out the purposes of the 
     Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et 
     seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real 
     property or any facility or for plant or facility 
     acquisition, construction, or expansion, $341,700,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That in addition, 
     fees collected pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of section 6939f 
     of title 42, United States Code, and deposited under this 
     heading in fiscal year 2024 pursuant to section 309 of title 
     III of division C of Public Law 116-94 are appropriated, to 
     remain available until expended, for mercury storage costs.

      Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out 
     uranium enrichment facility decontamination and 
     decommissioning, remedial actions, and other activities of 
     title II of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and title X, 
     subtitle A, of the Energy

[[Page H5075]]

     Policy Act of 1992, $865,208,000, to be derived from the 
     Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund, 
     to remain available until expended, of which $10,000,000 
     shall be available in accordance with title X, subtitle A, of 
     the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

                                Science

       For Department of Energy expenses including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment, 
     and other expenses necessary for science activities in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any 
     facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, 
     or expansion, and purchase of not more than 35 passenger 
     motor vehicles, $8,100,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That of such amount, $211,211,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                         Nuclear Waste Disposal

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary for nuclear 
     waste disposal activities to carry out the purposes of the 
     Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, Public Law 97-425, as 
     amended, $12,040,000, to remain available until expended, 
     which shall be derived from the Nuclear Waste Fund.

                         Technology Transitions

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary for carrying 
     out the activities of technology transitions, $22,098,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That of such 
     amount, $13,183,000 shall be available until September 30, 
     2025, for program direction.

                      Clean Energy Demonstrations

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary to carry out 
     program direction of the Office of Clean Energy 
     Demonstrations, $35,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025.

               Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary in carrying out 
     the activities authorized by section 5012 of the America 
     COMPETES Act (Public Law 110-69), $470,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That of such amount, 
     $37,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2025, for 
     program direction.

         Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program

       Such sums as are derived from amounts received from 
     borrowers pursuant to section 1702(b) of the Energy Policy 
     Act of 2005 under this heading in prior Acts, shall be 
     collected in accordance with section 502(7) of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974:  Provided, That for 
     necessary administrative expenses of the Title 17 Innovative 
     Technology Loan Guarantee Program, as authorized, $70,000,000 
     is appropriated, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025:  Provided further, That up to $70,000,000 of fees 
     collected in fiscal year 2024 pursuant to section 1702(h) of 
     the Energy Policy Act of 2005 shall be credited as offsetting 
     collections under this heading and used for necessary 
     administrative expenses in this appropriation and shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2025:  Provided further, 
     That to the extent that fees collected in fiscal year 2024 
     exceed $70,000,000, those excess amounts shall be credited as 
     offsetting collections under this heading and available in 
     future fiscal years only to the extent provided in advance in 
     appropriations Acts:  Provided further, That the sum herein 
     appropriated from the general fund shall be reduced (1) as 
     such fees are received during fiscal year 2024 (estimated at 
     $70,000,000) and (2) to the extent that any remaining general 
     fund appropriations can be derived from fees collected in 
     previous fiscal years that are not otherwise appropriated, so 
     as to result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation from 
     the general fund estimated at $0:  Provided further, That the 
     Department of Energy shall not subordinate any loan 
     obligation to other financing in violation of section 1702 of 
     the Energy Policy Act of 2005 or subordinate any Guaranteed 
     Obligation to any loan or other debt obligations in violation 
     of section 609.10 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations.

        Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program

       For Department of Energy administrative expenses necessary 
     in carrying out the Advanced Technology Vehicles 
     Manufacturing Loan Program, $13,000,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2025.

                  Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program

       For Department of Energy administrative expenses necessary 
     in carrying out the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program, 
     $6,300,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025.

                   Indian Energy Policy and Programs

       For necessary expenses for Indian Energy activities in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), $75,000,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That of the 
     amount appropriated under this heading, $14,000,000 shall be 
     available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                      Departmental Administration

       For salaries and expenses of the Department of Energy 
     necessary for departmental administration in carrying out the 
     purposes of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 
     U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), $383,578,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025, including the hire of passenger motor 
     vehicles and official reception and representation expenses 
     not to exceed $30,000, plus such additional amounts as 
     necessary to cover increases in the estimated amount of cost 
     of work for others notwithstanding the provisions of the 
     Anti-Deficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1511 et seq.):  Provided, That 
     such increases in cost of work are offset by revenue 
     increases of the same or greater amount:  Provided further, 
     That moneys received by the Department for miscellaneous 
     revenues estimated to total $100,578,000 in fiscal year 2024 
     may be retained and used for operating expenses within this 
     account, as authorized by section 201 of Public Law 95-238, 
     notwithstanding the provisions of 31 U.S.C. 3302:  Provided 
     further, That the sum herein appropriated shall be reduced as 
     collections are received during the fiscal year so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation from the 
     general fund estimated at not more than $283,000,000.

                    Office of the Inspector General

       For expenses necessary for the Office of the Inspector 
     General in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector 
     General Act of 1978, $92,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025.

                    ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES

                NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

                           Weapons Activities

       For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment 
     and other incidental expenses necessary for atomic energy 
     defense weapons activities in carrying out the purposes of 
     the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et 
     seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real 
     property or any facility or for plant or facility 
     acquisition, construction, or expansion, $19,114,167,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That of such 
     amount, $118,056,000 shall be available until September 30, 
     2025, for program direction.

                    Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

       For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment 
     and other incidental expenses necessary for defense nuclear 
     nonproliferation activities, in carrying out the purposes of 
     the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et 
     seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any real 
     property or any facility or for plant or facility 
     acquisition, construction, or expansion, $2,380,037,000, to 
     remain available until expended.

                             Naval Reactors

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For Department of Energy expenses necessary for naval 
     reactors activities to carry out the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition (by purchase, condemnation, construction, or 
     otherwise) of real property, plant, and capital equipment, 
     facilities, and facility expansion, $1,946,049,000, to remain 
     available until expended, of which $99,747,000 shall be 
     transferred to ``Department of Energy--Energy Programs--
     Nuclear Energy'', for the Advanced Test Reactor:  Provided, 
     That of such amount, $61,540,000 shall be available until 
     September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                     Federal Salaries and Expenses

       For expenses necessary for Federal Salaries and Expenses in 
     the National Nuclear Security Administration, $518,994,000, 
     to remain available until September 30, 2025, including 
     official reception and representation expenses not to exceed 
     $17,000.

               ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER DEFENSE ACTIVITIES

                     Defense Environmental Cleanup

       For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment 
     and other expenses necessary for atomic energy defense 
     environmental cleanup activities in carrying out the purposes 
     of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 
     et seq.), including the acquisition or condemnation of any 
     real property or any facility or for plant or facility 
     acquisition, construction, or expansion, $7,073,556,000, to 
     remain available until expended:  Provided, That of such 
     amount, $326,893,000 shall be available until September 30, 
     2025, for program direction.

                        Other Defense Activities

       For Department of Energy expenses, including the purchase, 
     construction, and acquisition of plant and capital equipment 
     and other expenses, necessary for atomic energy defense, 
     other defense activities, and classified activities, in 
     carrying out the purposes of the Department of Energy 
     Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including the 
     acquisition or condemnation of any real property or any 
     facility or for plant or facility acquisition, construction, 
     or expansion, $1,075,197,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That of such amount, $381,460,000 shall 
     be available until September 30, 2025, for program direction.

                    POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRATIONS

                  Bonneville Power Administration Fund

       Expenditures from the Bonneville Power Administration Fund, 
     established pursuant to Public Law 93-454, are approved for 
     official reception and representation expenses in an amount 
     not to exceed $5,000:  Provided, That during fiscal year 
     2024, no new direct loan obligations may be made.

[[Page H5076]]

  


      Operation and Maintenance, Southeastern Power Administration

       For expenses necessary for operation and maintenance of 
     power transmission facilities and for marketing electric 
     power and energy, including transmission wheeling and 
     ancillary services, pursuant to section 5 of the Flood 
     Control Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 825s), as applied to the 
     southeastern power area, $8,449,000, including official 
     reception and representation expenses in an amount not to 
     exceed $1,500, to remain available until expended:  Provided, 
     That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302 and section 5 of the 
     Flood Control Act of 1944, up to $8,449,000 collected by the 
     Southeastern Power Administration from the sale of power and 
     related services shall be credited to this account as 
     discretionary offsetting collections, to remain available 
     until expended for the sole purpose of funding the annual 
     expenses of the Southeastern Power Administration:  Provided 
     further, That the sum herein appropriated for annual expenses 
     shall be reduced as collections are received during the 
     fiscal year so as to result in a final fiscal year 2024 
     appropriation estimated at not more than $0:  Provided 
     further, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, up to 
     $71,850,000 collected by the Southeastern Power 
     Administration pursuant to the Flood Control Act of 1944 to 
     recover purchase power and wheeling expenses shall be 
     credited to this account as offsetting collections, to remain 
     available until expended for the sole purpose of making 
     purchase power and wheeling expenditures:  Provided further, 
     That for purposes of this appropriation, annual expenses 
     means expenditures that are generally recovered in the same 
     year that they are incurred (excluding purchase power and 
     wheeling expenses).

      Operation and Maintenance, Southwestern Power Administration

       For expenses necessary for operation and maintenance of 
     power transmission facilities and for marketing electric 
     power and energy, for construction and acquisition of 
     transmission lines, substations and appurtenant facilities, 
     and for administrative expenses, including official reception 
     and representation expenses in an amount not to exceed $1,500 
     in carrying out section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 
     (16 U.S.C. 825s), as applied to the Southwestern Power 
     Administration, $52,326,000, to remain available until 
     expended:  Provided, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302 and 
     section 5 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 825s), 
     up to $40,886,000 collected by the Southwestern Power 
     Administration from the sale of power and related services 
     shall be credited to this account as discretionary offsetting 
     collections, to remain available until expended, for the sole 
     purpose of funding the annual expenses of the Southwestern 
     Power Administration:  Provided further, That the sum herein 
     appropriated for annual expenses shall be reduced as 
     collections are received during the fiscal year so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation estimated at 
     not more than $11,440,000:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, up to $80,000,000 collected 
     by the Southwestern Power Administration pursuant to the 
     Flood Control Act of 1944 to recover purchase power and 
     wheeling expenses shall be credited to this account as 
     offsetting collections, to remain available until expended 
     for the sole purpose of making purchase power and wheeling 
     expenditures:  Provided further, That for purposes of this 
     appropriation, annual expenses means expenditures that are 
     generally recovered in the same year that they are incurred 
     (excluding purchase power and wheeling expenses).

 Construction, Rehabilitation, Operation and Maintenance, Western Area 
                          Power Administration

       For carrying out the functions authorized by title III, 
     section 302(a)(1)(E) of the Act of August 4, 1977 (42 U.S.C. 
     7152), and other related activities including conservation 
     and renewable resources programs as authorized, $313,289,000, 
     including official reception and representation expenses in 
     an amount not to exceed $1,500, to remain available until 
     expended, of which $313,289,000 shall be derived from the 
     Department of the Interior Reclamation Fund:  Provided, That 
     notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, section 5 of the Flood 
     Control Act of 1944 (16 U.S.C. 825s), and section 1 of the 
     Interior Department Appropriation Act, 1939 (43 U.S.C. 392a), 
     up to $213,417,000 collected by the Western Area Power 
     Administration from the sale of power and related services 
     shall be credited to this account as discretionary offsetting 
     collections, to remain available until expended, for the sole 
     purpose of funding the annual expenses of the Western Area 
     Power Administration:  Provided further, That the sum herein 
     appropriated for annual expenses shall be reduced as 
     collections are received during the fiscal year so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation estimated at 
     not more than $99,872,000, of which $99,872,000 is derived 
     from the Reclamation Fund:  Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, up to $475,000,000 collected 
     by the Western Area Power Administration pursuant to the 
     Flood Control Act of 1944 and the Reclamation Project Act of 
     1939 to recover purchase power and wheeling expenses shall be 
     credited to this account as offsetting collections, to remain 
     available until expended for the sole purpose of making 
     purchase power and wheeling expenditures:  Provided further, 
     That for purposes of this appropriation, annual expenses 
     means expenditures that are generally recovered in the same 
     year that they are incurred (excluding purchase power and 
     wheeling expenses).

           Falcon and Amistad Operating and Maintenance Fund

       For operation, maintenance, and emergency costs for the 
     hydroelectric facilities at the Falcon and Amistad Dams, 
     $3,425,000, to remain available until expended, and to be 
     derived from the Falcon and Amistad Operating and Maintenance 
     Fund of the Western Area Power Administration, as provided in 
     section 2 of the Act of June 18, 1954 (68 Stat. 255):  
     Provided, That notwithstanding the provisions of that Act and 
     of 31 U.S.C. 3302, up to $3,197,000 collected by the Western 
     Area Power Administration from the sale of power and related 
     services from the Falcon and Amistad Dams shall be credited 
     to this account as discretionary offsetting collections, to 
     remain available until expended for the sole purpose of 
     funding the annual expenses of the hydroelectric facilities 
     of these Dams and associated Western Area Power 
     Administration activities:  Provided further, That the sum 
     herein appropriated for annual expenses shall be reduced as 
     collections are received during the fiscal year so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation estimated at 
     not more than $228,000:  Provided further, That for purposes 
     of this appropriation, annual expenses means expenditures 
     that are generally recovered in the same year that they are 
     incurred:  Provided further, That for fiscal year 2024, the 
     Administrator of the Western Area Power Administration may 
     accept up to $1,872,000 in funds contributed by United States 
     power customers of the Falcon and Amistad Dams for deposit 
     into the Falcon and Amistad Operating and Maintenance Fund, 
     and such funds shall be available for the purpose for which 
     contributed in like manner as if said sums had been 
     specifically appropriated for such purpose:  Provided 
     further, That any such funds shall be available without 
     further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation for 
     use by the Commissioner of the United States Section of the 
     International Boundary and Water Commission for the sole 
     purpose of operating, maintaining, repairing, rehabilitating, 
     replacing, or upgrading the hydroelectric facilities at these 
     Dams in accordance with agreements reached between the 
     Administrator, Commissioner, and the power customers.

                  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Federal Energy Regulatory 
     Commission to carry out the provisions of the Department of 
     Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), including 
     services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, official reception 
     and representation expenses not to exceed $3,000, and the 
     hire of passenger motor vehicles, $520,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, not to exceed $520,000,000 of 
     revenues from fees and annual charges, and other services and 
     collections in fiscal year 2024 shall be retained and used 
     for expenses necessary in this account, and shall remain 
     available until expended:  Provided further, That the sum 
     herein appropriated from the general fund shall be reduced as 
     revenues are received during fiscal year 2024 so as to result 
     in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation from the general 
     fund estimated at not more than $0.

                GENERAL PROVISIONS--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

             (including rescissions and transfers of funds)

       Sec. 301. (a) No appropriation, funds, or authority made 
     available by this title for the Department of Energy shall be 
     used to initiate or resume any program, project, or activity 
     or to prepare or initiate Requests For Proposals or similar 
     arrangements (including Requests for Quotations, Requests for 
     Information, and Funding Opportunity Announcements) for a 
     program, project, or activity if the program, project, or 
     activity has not been funded by Congress.
       (b)(1) Unless the Secretary of Energy notifies the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at 
     least 3 full business days in advance, none of the funds made 
     available in this title may be used to--
       (A) make a grant allocation or discretionary grant award 
     totaling $1,000,000 or more;
       (B) make a discretionary contract award or Other 
     Transaction Agreement totaling $1,000,000 or more, including 
     a contract covered by the Federal Acquisition Regulation;
       (C) issue a letter of intent to make an allocation, award, 
     or Agreement in excess of the limits in subparagraph (A) or 
     (B); or
       (D) announce publicly the intention to make an allocation, 
     award, or Agreement in excess of the limits in subparagraph 
     (A) or (B).
       (2) The Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committees 
     on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress within 15 days 
     of the conclusion of each quarter a report detailing each 
     grant allocation or discretionary grant award totaling less 
     than $1,000,000 provided during the previous quarter.
       (3) The notification required by paragraph (1) and the 
     report required by paragraph (2) shall include the recipient 
     of the award, the amount of the award, the fiscal year for 
     which the funds for the award were appropriated, the account 
     and program, project, or activity from which the funds are 
     being drawn, the title of the award, and a brief description 
     of the activity for which the award is made.

[[Page H5077]]

       (c) The Department of Energy may not, with respect to any 
     program, project, or activity that uses budget authority made 
     available in this title under the heading ``Department of 
     Energy--Energy Programs'', enter into a multiyear contract, 
     award a multiyear grant, or enter into a multiyear 
     cooperative agreement unless--
       (1) the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement is funded 
     for the full period of performance as anticipated at the time 
     of award; or
       (2) the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement includes 
     a clause conditioning the Federal Government's obligation on 
     the availability of future year budget authority and the 
     Secretary notifies the Committees on Appropriations of both 
     Houses of Congress at least 3 days in advance.
       (d) Except as provided in subsections (e), (f), and (g), 
     the amounts made available by this title shall be expended as 
     authorized by law for the programs, projects, and activities 
     specified in the ``House Recommended'' column in the 
     ``Department of Energy'' table included under the heading 
     ``Title III--Department of Energy'' in the report 
     accompanying this Act.
       (e) The amounts made available by this title may be 
     reprogrammed for any program, project, or activity, and the 
     Department shall notify, and obtain the prior approval of, 
     the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 
     at least 30 days prior to the use of any proposed 
     reprogramming that would cause any program, project, or 
     activity funding level to increase or decrease by more than 
     $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, during the time 
     period covered by this Act.
       (f) None of the funds provided in this title shall be 
     available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming of funds that--
       (1) creates, initiates, or eliminates a program, project, 
     or activity;
       (2) increases funds or personnel for any program, project, 
     or activity for which funds are denied or restricted by this 
     Act; or
       (3) reduces funds that are directed to be used for a 
     specific program, project, or activity by this Act.
       (g)(1) The Secretary of Energy may waive any requirement or 
     restriction in this section that applies to the use of funds 
     made available for the Department of Energy if compliance 
     with such requirement or restriction would pose a substantial 
     risk to human health, the environment, welfare, or national 
     security.
       (2) The Secretary of Energy shall notify the Committees on 
     Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of any waiver under 
     paragraph (1) as soon as practicable, but not later than 3 
     days after the date of the activity to which a requirement or 
     restriction would otherwise have applied. Such notice shall 
     include an explanation of the substantial risk under 
     paragraph (1) that permitted such waiver.
       (h) The unexpended balances of prior appropriations 
     provided for activities in this Act may be available to the 
     same appropriation accounts for such activities established 
     pursuant to this title. Available balances may be merged with 
     funds in the applicable established accounts and thereafter 
     may be accounted for as one fund for the same time period as 
     originally enacted.
       Sec. 302.  Funds appropriated by this or any other Act, or 
     made available by the transfer of funds in this Act, for 
     intelligence activities are deemed to be specifically 
     authorized by the Congress for purposes of section 504 of the 
     National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3094) during fiscal 
     year 2024 until the enactment of the Intelligence 
     Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024.
       Sec. 303.  None of the funds made available in this title 
     shall be used for the construction of facilities classified 
     as high-hazard nuclear facilities under 10 CFR Part 830 
     unless independent oversight is conducted by the Office of 
     Enterprise Assessments to ensure the project is in compliance 
     with nuclear safety requirements.
       Sec. 304.  None of the funds made available in this title 
     may be used to approve critical decision-2 or critical 
     decision-3 under Department of Energy Order 413.3B, or any 
     successive departmental guidance, for construction projects 
     where the total project cost exceeds $100,000,000, until a 
     separate independent cost estimate has been developed for the 
     project for that critical decision.
       Sec. 305.  None of the funds made available in this title 
     may be used to support a grant allocation award, 
     discretionary grant award, or cooperative agreement that 
     exceeds $100,000,000 in Federal funding unless the project is 
     carried out through internal independent project management 
     procedures.
       Sec. 306.  No funds shall be transferred directly from 
     ``Department of Energy--Power Marketing Administration--
     Colorado River Basins Power Marketing Fund, Western Area 
     Power Administration'' to the general fund of the Treasury in 
     the current fiscal year.
       Sec. 307.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce an 
     energy efficiency standard that increases efficiency 
     standards on distribution transformers, including the 
     proposed rule entitled ``Energy Conservation Program: Energy 
     Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers'' 
     published by the Department of Energy in the Federal Register 
     on January 11, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 1722) or any substantially 
     similar rule.
       Sec. 308.  Notwithstanding section 301(c) of this Act, none 
     of the funds made available under the heading ``Department of 
     Energy--Energy Programs--Science'' may be used for a 
     multiyear contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or Other 
     Transaction Agreement of $5,000,000 or less unless the 
     contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or Other Transaction 
     Agreement is funded for the full period of performance as 
     anticipated at the time of award.
       Sec. 309. (a) Of the unobligated balances of amounts made 
     available to the Department of Energy under each heading in 
     title III of division J of Public Law 117-58, an amount equal 
     to the amount transferred from each such heading as of the 
     date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 303 of 
     Public Law 117-58 shall be transferred on October 1, 2023, to 
     the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of 
     Energy to oversee the funds made available to the Department 
     of Energy in Public Law 117-58:  Provided, That any amounts 
     so transferred that were previously designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or a 
     concurrent resolution on the budget are designated by the 
     Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.
       (b) Beginning on October 1, 2023, of the amounts made 
     available to the Department of Energy under each of sections 
     50121, 50141, 50142, 50143, 50144, 50145, 50151, 50152, 
     50153, and 50161 of Public Law 117-169, two-tenths of one 
     percent of such amounts shall be transferred to the Office of 
     the Inspector General of the Department of Energy to oversee 
     the funds made available to the Department of Energy in 
     Public Law 117-169:  Provided, That amounts so transferred 
     shall be derived from the unobligated balances of amounts 
     under each such section.
       (c) Section 303 of Public Law 117-58 is amended by--
       (1) striking ``One-tenth'' and inserting ``(a) Except as 
     provided in subsection (b), one-tenth''; and
       (2) adding at the end the following new provision:
       ``(b) Beginning on October 1, 2023, of the amounts made 
     available to the Department of Energy under each heading in 
     this title in this Act, two-tenths of one percent of such 
     amounts in each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026 shall be 
     transferred to the Office of the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Energy to oversee the funds made available to 
     the Department of Energy in this title in this Act:  
     Provided, That any amounts so transferred that were 
     previously designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 or a concurrent resolution on the 
     budget are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.''
       Sec. 310. (a) Notwithstanding sections 161 and 167 of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6241, 6247), 
     the Secretary of Energy shall draw down and sell one million 
     barrels of refined petroleum product from the Strategic 
     Petroleum Reserve during fiscal year 2024.
       (b) All proceeds from such sale shall be deposited into the 
     general fund of the Treasury during fiscal year 2024.
       (c) Upon the completion of such sale, the Secretary shall 
     carry out the closure of the Northeast Gasoline Supply 
     Reserve.
       (d)(1) The Secretary of Energy may not establish any new 
     regional petroleum product reserve unless funding for the 
     proposed regional petroleum product reserve is explicitly 
     requested in advance in an annual budget submission and 
     approved by the Congress in an appropriations Act.
       (2) The budget request or notification shall include--
       (A) the justification for the new reserve;
       (B) a cost estimate for the establishment, operation, and 
     maintenance of the reserve, including funding sources;
       (C) a detailed plan for operation of the reserve, including 
     the conditions upon which the products may be released;
       (D) the location of the reserve; and
       (E) the estimate of the total inventory of the reserve.
       Sec. 311.  Of the authority made available in Public Law 
     117-328 for the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee 
     Program for commitments to guarantee loans for eligible 
     projects under title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a 
     total principal of $15,000,000,000 is hereby permanently 
     rescinded.
       Sec. 312. (a) Of the unobligated balances from amounts made 
     available in section 50131 of Public Law 117-169, 
     $1,000,000,000 are hereby permanently rescinded.
       (b) Of the unobligated balances from amounts made available 
     in section 50122 of Public Law 117-169, $4,500,000,000 are 
     hereby permanently rescinded.
       (c) Of the unobligated balances from amounts made available 
     in section 50123 of Public Law 117-169, $200,000,000 are 
     hereby permanently rescinded.
       Sec. 313.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be expended to support the 
     Department of Energy Justice40 initiative as defined by or 
     required by Executive Order 14008.
       Sec. 314.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to draw down and sell petroleum products from the 
     Strategic Petroleum Reserve (1) to any entity that is under 
     the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist 
     Party; or (2) except on condition that such petroleum 
     products

[[Page H5078]]

     will not be exported to the People's Republic of China.
       Sec. 315.  The funds made available to the Department of 
     Energy in this Act shall be applied in a manner consistent 
     with subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development, 
     Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of the 
     CHIPS Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167; 42 U.S.C. 19231 et 
     seq.)).
       Sec. 316. (a) Of the unobligated amounts available under 
     the heading ``Department of Energy--Energy Programs--Nuclear 
     Energy'' in division J of the Infrastructure Investment and 
     Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 
     2026, the following are available, in addition to amounts 
     otherwise made available for these purposes:
       (1) (A) $2,400,000,000 for Advanced Nuclear Fuel 
     Availability, of which $800,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended, shall be available in each of fiscal years 
     2024, 2025, 2026.
       (B) Funds available under subparagraph (A) shall only be 
     available if a law is enacted after May 1, 2023, that 
     specifically authorizes a program for the Secretary of Energy 
     to support the availability of low-enriched uranium, 
     including high-assay low-enriched uranium, for civilian 
     domestic research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
     use.
       (2) $1,197,000,000 to carry out the ongoing demonstration 
     project under the Advanced Small Modular Reactor RD&D 
     program, of which $399,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, shall be available in each of fiscal years 2024, 
     2025, and 2026.
       (b) Amounts repurposed pursuant to this paragraph that were 
     previously designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 or a concurrent resolution on the 
     budget are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
       Sec. 317.  None of the funds made available in this title 
     may be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce 
     the proposed rule titled ``Energy Conservation Program: 
     Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional 
     Cooking Products; Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
     and announcement of public meeting'' (88 Fed. Reg. 6818; 
     published February 1, 2023) with respect to energy 
     conservation standards for gas kitchen ranges and ovens, or 
     any substantially similar rule, including any rule that would 
     directly or indirectly limit consumer access to gas kitchen 
     ranges or ovens.

                                TITLE IV

                          INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

                    Appalachian Regional Commission

       For expenses necessary to carry out the programs authorized 
     by the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, as 
     amended, and for expenses necessary for the Federal Co-
     Chairman and the Alternate on the Appalachian Regional 
     Commission, for payment of the Federal share of the 
     administrative expenses of the Commission, including services 
     as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, and hire of passenger motor 
     vehicles, $200,000,000, to remain available until expended.

                Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Defense Nuclear Facilities 
     Safety Board in carrying out activities authorized by the 
     Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended by Public Law 100-456, 
     section 1441, $45,000,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025, of which not to exceed $1,000 shall be 
     available for official reception and representation expenses.

                        Delta Regional Authority

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Delta Regional Authority and 
     to carry out its activities, as authorized by the Delta 
     Regional Authority Act of 2000, notwithstanding sections 
     382F(d), 382M, and 382N of said Act, $31,100,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

                           Denali Commission

       For expenses necessary for the Denali Commission including 
     the purchase, construction, and acquisition of plant and 
     capital equipment as necessary and other expenses, 
     $17,000,000, to remain available until expended, 
     notwithstanding the limitations contained in section 306(g) 
     of the Denali Commission Act of 1998:  Provided, That funds 
     shall be available for construction projects for which the 
     Denali Commission is the sole or primary funding source in an 
     amount not to exceed 80 percent of total project cost for 
     distressed communities, as defined by section 307 of the 
     Denali Commission Act of 1998 (division C, title III, Public 
     Law 105-277), as amended by section 701 of appendix D, title 
     VII, Public Law 106-113 (113 Stat. 1501A-280), and an amount 
     not to exceed 50 percent for non-distressed communities:  
     Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law regarding payment of a non-Federal share in connection 
     with a grant-in-aid program, amounts under this heading shall 
     be available for the payment of such a non-Federal share for 
     any project for which the Denali Commission is not the sole 
     or primary funding source, provided that such project is 
     consistent with the purposes of the Commission.

                  Northern Border Regional Commission

       For expenses necessary for the Northern Border Regional 
     Commission in carrying out activities authorized by subtitle 
     V of title 40, United States Code, $40,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That such amounts shall 
     be available for administrative expenses, notwithstanding 
     section 15751(b) of title 40, United States Code.

                 Southeast Crescent Regional Commission

       For expenses necessary for the Southeast Crescent Regional 
     Commission in carrying out activities authorized by subtitle 
     V of title 40, United States Code, $20,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

                  Southwest Border Regional Commission

       For expenses necessary for the Southwest Border Regional 
     Commission in carrying out activities authorized by subtitle 
     V of title 40, United States Code, $5,000,000, to remain 
     available until expended.

                         Great Lakes Authority

       For expenses necessary for the Great Lakes Authority in 
     carrying out activities authorized by subtitle V of title 40, 
     United States Code, $5,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended.

                     Nuclear Regulatory Commission

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Commission in carrying out 
     the purposes of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 and the 
     Atomic Energy Act of 1954, $960,560,450, including official 
     representation expenses not to exceed $30,000, to remain 
     available until expended:  Provided, That of the amount 
     appropriated herein, not more than $10,350,720 may be made 
     available for salaries, travel, and other support costs for 
     the Office of the Commission, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2025:  Provided further, That revenues from 
     licensing fees, inspection services, and other services and 
     collections estimated at $807,727,130 in fiscal year 2024 
     shall be retained and used for necessary salaries and 
     expenses in this account, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, and 
     shall remain available until expended:  Provided further, 
     That the sum herein appropriated shall be reduced by the 
     amount of revenues received during fiscal year 2024 so as to 
     result in a final fiscal year 2024 appropriation estimated at 
     not more than $152,833,320.

                      office of inspector general

       For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General 
     in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act 
     of 1978, $18,648,340, to remain available until September 30, 
     2025:  Provided, That revenues from licensing fees, 
     inspection services, and other services and collections 
     estimated at $15,481,566 in fiscal year 2024 shall be 
     retained and be available until September 30, 2025, for 
     necessary salaries and expenses in this account, 
     notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code: 
      Provided further, That the sum herein appropriated shall be 
     reduced by the amount of revenues received during fiscal year 
     2024 so as to result in a final fiscal year 2024 
     appropriation estimated at not more than $3,166,774:  
     Provided further, That of the amounts appropriated under this 
     heading, $1,534,900 shall be for Inspector General services 
     for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

                  Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

                         salaries and expenses

       For expenses necessary for the Nuclear Waste Technical 
     Review Board, as authorized by Public Law 100-203, section 
     5051, $4,064,000, to be derived from the Nuclear Waste Fund, 
     to remain available until September 30, 2025.

                GENERAL PROVISIONS--INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

       Sec. 401.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall comply 
     with the July 5, 2011, version of Chapter VI of its Internal 
     Commission Procedures when responding to Congressional 
     requests for information, consistent with Department of 
     Justice guidance for all Federal agencies.
       Sec. 402. (a) The amounts made available by this title for 
     the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may be reprogrammed for any 
     program, project, or activity, and the Commission shall 
     notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of 
     Congress at least 30 days prior to the use of any proposed 
     reprogramming that would cause any program funding level to 
     increase or decrease by more than $500,000 or 10 percent, 
     whichever is less, during the time period covered by this 
     Act.
       (b)(1) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission may waive the 
     notification requirement in subsection (a) if compliance with 
     such requirement would pose a substantial risk to human 
     health, the environment, welfare, or national security.
       (2) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall notify the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of 
     any waiver under paragraph (1) as soon as practicable, but 
     not later than 3 days after the date of the activity to which 
     a requirement or restriction would otherwise have applied. 
     Such notice shall include an explanation of the substantial 
     risk under paragraph (1) that permitted such waiver and shall 
     provide a detailed report to the Committees of such waiver 
     and changes to funding levels to programs, projects, or 
     activities.
       (c) Except as provided in subsections (a), (b), and (d), 
     the amounts made available by this title for ``Nuclear 
     Regulatory Commission--Salaries and Expenses'' shall be 
     expended as directed in the report accompanying this Act.
       (d) None of the funds provided for the Nuclear Regulatory 
     Commission shall be available for obligation or expenditure 
     through a

[[Page H5079]]

     reprogramming of funds that increases funds or personnel for 
     any program, project, or activity for which funds are denied 
     or restricted by this Act.
       (e) The Commission shall provide a monthly report to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, 
     which includes the following for each program, project, or 
     activity, including any prior year appropriations--
       (1) total budget authority;
       (2) total unobligated balances; and
       (3) total unliquidated obligations.

                     TITLE V--WATER FOR CALIFORNIA

       Sec. 501. Definitions. 
        In Subtitle A through Subtitle D, the following 
     definitions apply:
       (1) Cvp.--The term ``CVP'' means the Central Valley 
     Project.
       (2) Cvp contractor.--The term ``CVP contractor'' means any 
     public water agency, water user organization, or person that 
     has entered into a contract with the United States for water 
     service from the CVP, whether in the form of a water service 
     contract, repayment contract, water rights settlement 
     contract, exchange contract, or refuge contract.
       (3) Fws biological opinion.--The term ``FWS Biological 
     Opinion'' means the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     ``Biological Opinion for the Reinitiation of Consultation on 
     the Coordinated Operations of the Central Valley Project and 
     State Water Project'' (Service File No. 08FBTD00-2019-F-0164) 
     signed on October 21, 2019.
       (4) Noaa biological opinion.--The term ``NOAA Biological 
     Opinion'' means the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration Fisheries ``Biological Opinion on the Long-
     term Operation of the Central Valley Project and the State 
     Water Project'' (Consultation Tracking Number: WCRO-2016-
     00069) signed on October 21, 2019.
       (5) Preferred alternative.--The term ``Preferred 
     Alternative'' means the Alternative 1 (Preferred 
     Alternative), as described in the Final Environmental Impact 
     Statement on the Reinitiation of Consultation on the 
     Coordinated Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project 
     and the State Water Project, issued by the Bureau of 
     Reclamation, and dated December 2019.
       (6) Swp.--The term ``SWP'' means the California State Water 
     Project.
       (7) Swp contractor.--The term ``SWP contractor'' means a 
     public agency that has entered into a long-term water supply 
     contract with the California Department of Water Resources 
     for water service from the SWP.
       Sec. 502. Treatment of Funds. 
        Amounts repurposed pursuant to this title that were 
     previously designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 or a concurrent resolution on the 
     budget are designated by the Congress as an emergency 
     requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                   Subtitle A--CVP and SWP Operations

       Sec. 511. Operation of the CVP and SWP.
       (a) Congressional Direction Regarding Cvp and Swp 
     Operations.--The CVP and the SWP shall be operated, and 
     reporting shall be done, in accordance with the Preferred 
     Alternative and FWS Biological Opinion and NOAA Biological 
     Opinion.
       (b) Exceptions.--Operation of the CVP and SWP shall proceed 
     pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, except:
       (1) to the extent changes to operations are undertaken 
     pursuant to one or more agreements, which are voluntarily 
     entered into, approved, and implemented by CVP contractors, 
     for operations of the CVP, and SWP contractors, for 
     operations of the SWP, with all applicable Federal 
     departments and the State of California, including any agency 
     or board of the State of California; or
       (2) to the extent changes in operations of the CVP, SWP, or 
     both can be made while improving the supply of water 
     available to CVP contractors, SWP contractors, or both.
       (c) Costs.--No cost, including water supply, financial, 
     mintigation-related, or otherwise, associated with the 
     implementation of any agreement under subsection (b)(1) or 
     the implementation of any reoperation under subsection (b)(2) 
     shall be imposed by any Federal department or agency or the 
     State of California, including any agency or board of the 
     State of California, directly or indirectly on any CVP 
     contractor, SWP contractor, or any other person or entity, 
     unless such costs are incurred on a voluntary basis.
       (d) No Redirected Adverse Impacts.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior and Secretary of Commerce shall not carry out any 
     specific action authorized under the applicable provisions of 
     this subtitle that would directly or through State agency 
     action indirectly result in the involuntary reduction of 
     water supply to an individual, district, or agency that has 
     in effect a contract for water with the SWP or the CVP, 
     including settlement, exchange, and refuge contracts, and 
     Friant Division contracts.
       (e) Endangered Species Act.--Notwithstanding subsection 
     (b), implementation of subsection (a) shall not conflict with 
     the FWS Biological Opinion and the NOAA Biological Opinion.
       (f) Native Species Protection.--The State of California 
     shall not impose any bag, catch, or size restriction or limit 
     on the take or harvest of striped bass or any species of 
     black bass, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and 
     spotted bass, that occupy the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers 
     Delta or its tributaries.
       Sec. 512. Operations and Reviews. 
       In carrying out section 511(a), the Secretary of the 
     Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall implement their 
     statutory authorities in a manner that improves water supply 
     reliability and enables the CVP and SWP to provide the 
     maximum quantity of water supplies practicable to CVP 
     agricultural, municipal, and industrial contractors, water 
     service or repayment contractors, water rights settlement 
     contractors, exchange contractors, refuge contractors, and 
     SWP contractors, in accordance with the Preferred 
     Alternative, NOAA Biological Opinion, and FWS Biological 
     Opinion.
       Sec. 513. Application of State Laws.
       (a) Reduced Water Supply.--If, as a result of the 
     application of applicable State law or regulation, the State 
     of California (including any agency or board of the State of 
     California) alters operation of the SWP in a manner that 
     directly or indirectly results in reduced water supply to the 
     SWP as compared with the water supply available under the 
     Preferred Alternative, and as a result, CVP yield is greater 
     than it otherwise would have been under the Preferred 
     Alternative, then that additional yield shall be made 
     available to the SWP for delivery to SWP Contractors to 
     offset that reduced water supply. If it is necessary to 
     reduce water supplies for any authorized uses of the CVP or 
     CVP Contractors to make available to the SWP that additional 
     yield, such reductions shall be applied proportionately to 
     those authorized uses or CVP contractors that benefit from 
     that increased yield.
       (b) No Restriction of Certain Water Rights.--The State of 
     California (including any agency or board of the State of 
     California) shall not restrict the exercise of any water 
     right obtained pursuant to State law, including but not 
     limited to a pre-1914 appropriative right or riparian right 
     in order to offset any impact resulting from the 
     implementation of this subtitle on any species affected by 
     operations of the CVP or the SWP.
       (c) No Involuntary Water Reduction.--The State of 
     California (including any agency or board of the State of 
     California), the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of 
     Commerce shall not take any action related to operation of 
     the CVP or SWP that would directly or indirectly result in 
     the involuntary reduction of water supply to any CVP 
     agricultural, municipal and industrial contractor, water 
     service or repayment contractor, water rights settlement 
     contractor, exchange contractor, refuge contractor or any SWP 
     contractor, as compared to the water supply available under 
     the Preferred Alternative; and nothing in this section is 
     intended to modify, amend, or affect any of the rights and 
     obligations of the parties to such contracts.
       Sec. 514. Reconsultation of NOAA biological opinion and FWS 
     biological opinion.
       (a) Requirement for Reconsultation.--
       (1) Requirement.--Unless action is taken pursuant to 
     section 101(b), neither the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, nor 
     the Secretary of Commerce, or their designees shall commence, 
     complete, or request reinitiation of consultation on the 
     coordinated long-term operation of the Central Valley Project 
     and the State Water Project that will result in changes to or 
     the replacement of the documents listed in paragraph (2) 
     unless--
       (A) more than 75 percent of California has experienced 4 
     consecutive years of D3 or D4 level drought, as defined by 
     the U.S. Drought Monitor;
       (B) the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation 
     identifies one specific factor or combination of factors 
     under section 402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal 
     Regulations; and
       (C) not fewer than 120 days before officially commencing or 
     requesting reinitiation, the Secretary of the Interior 
     notifies the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate, in writing, of--
       (i) the intent to commence or request reinitiation under 
     this section; and
       (ii) the detailed justification for the identification of 
     the specific factor or combination of factors under section 
     402.16 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, that was 
     identified to satisfy the requirement in subparagraph (B).
       (2) Documents.--The documents referred to in paragraph (1) 
     are the following:
       (A) The FWS Biological Opinion.
       (B) The NOAA Biological Opinion.
       (C) The Record of Decision for the Reinitiation of 
     Consultation on the Coordinated Long-Term Modified Operations 
     of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, signed 
     on February 18, 2020.
       (b) Applicable Procedures and Review.--For the purposes of 
     this Act, before reinitiating consultation on the Long-Term 
     Operation of the CVP and SWP, a request by the Secretary of 
     the Interior, the Secretary of the Commerce, or any other 
     Federal employee, to reinitiate consultation shall be made in 
     writing and considered a rule under section 551 of title 5, 
     United States Code, and subject to the requirements of 
     sections 801 through 808 of that title.
       (c) Cooperation.--In implementing this section, the 
     Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce shall 
     comply with requirements included in section 4004 of the 
     Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (Public 
     Law 114-322).
       (d) Exclusion.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), in 
     implementing this section,

[[Page H5080]]

     section 801(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, shall not 
     apply.
       Sec. 515. Sunset. 
       Sections 511 through 514 shall have no force or effect on 
     and after the date that is 7 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 516. Consultation on coordinated operations. 
       The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act 
     (Public Law 114-322) is amended--
       (1) in section 4004(a)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), strike ``public 
     water agency that contracts'' and insert ``contractor'';
       (B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or proposed action'' 
     after ``biological assessment,'';
       (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or proposed action'' 
     after ``biological assessment,'';
       (D) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (6) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (7), respectively;
       (E) after paragraph (2), by inserting the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3) receive a copy of the draft proposed action and have 
     the opportunity to review that document and provide comment 
     to the action agency, which comments shall be afforded due 
     consideration during development;''; and
       (F) in paragraph (7), as redesignated by subparagraph (C) 
     of this paragraph--
       (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting 
     ``action agency proposes a proposed action or'' before ``the 
     consulting agency'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``proposed action 
     or'' before ``alternative will''; and
       (iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``alternative 
     actions'' and insert ``actions or alternatives''; and
       (2) in section 4013, by deleting ``section 4004, which 
     shall expire 10 years after the date of its enactment;'' and 
     inserting ``section 4004, which shall expire on December 16, 
     2033;''.

       Subtitle B--Allocations for Sacramento Valley Contractors

       Sec. 521. Definitions. 
       In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:
       (1) The term ``existing CVP agricultural water service or 
     repayment contractor within the Sacramento River Watershed'' 
     means any water service or repayment contractor within the 
     Shasta, Trinity, or Sacramento River division of the CVP that 
     has in effect a water service or repayment contract on the 
     date of enactment of this title that provides water for 
     irrigation.
       (2) The terms ``Above Normal'', ``Below Normal'', ``Dry'', 
     and ``Wet'', with respect to a year, have the meanings given 
     those terms in the Sacramento Valley Water Year Type (40-30-
     30) Index.
       Sec. 522. Allocations of water. 
       Subject to section 523, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     make every reasonable effort in the operation of the CVP to 
     allocate water provided for irrigation purposes to each 
     existing CVP agricultural water service contractor within the 
     Sacramento River Watershed in accordance with the following:
       (1) Not less than 100 percent of the contract quantity of 
     the existing CVP agricultural water service contractor within 
     the Sacramento River Watershed in a Wet year.
       (2) Not less than 100 percent of the contract quantity of 
     the existing CVP agricultural water service contractor within 
     the Sacramento River Watershed in an Above Normal year.
       (3) Not less than 100 percent of the contract quantity of 
     the existing CVP agricultural water service contractor within 
     the Sacramento River Watershed in a Below Normal year that is 
     preceded by an Above Normal or Wet year.
       (4) Not less than 50 percent of the contract quantity of 
     the existing CVP agricultural water service contractor within 
     the Sacramento River Watershed in a Dry year that is preceded 
     by a Below Normal, Above Normal, or Wet year.
       (5) In any other year not identified in paragraphs (1) 
     through (4), not less than twice the allocation percentage to 
     south-of-Delta CVP agricultural water service contractors, up 
     to 100 percent.
       Sec. 523. Protection of refuge, municipal and industrial, 
     and other contractors. 
       Nothing in section 522 shall--
       (1) adversely affect any protections for the environment, 
     including the obligation of the Secretary of the Interior to 
     make water available to managed wetlands pursuant to section 
     3406(d) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (title 
     XXXIV of Public Law 102-575; 106 Stat. 4722);
       (2) adversely affect any obligation of the Secretary of the 
     Interior or the Secretary of Commerce under the FWS 
     Biological Opinion or the NOAA Biological Opinion;
       (3) modify any provision of a water service contract that 
     addresses municipal or industrial water shortage policies of 
     the Secretary of the Interior;
       (4) affect or limit the authority of the Secretary of the 
     Interior to adopt or modify municipal and industrial water 
     shortage policies;
       (5) constrain, govern, or affect, directly or indirectly, 
     the operations of the American River division of the CVP or 
     any deliveries from that division or a unit or facility of 
     that division; or
       (6) affect any allocation to a CVP municipal or industrial 
     water service contractor by increasing or decreasing 
     allocations to the contractor, as compared to the allocation 
     the contractor would have received absent section 522.
       Sec. 524. Other contractors. 
       Nothing in section 522 shall--
       (1) affect the priority of any individual or entity with a 
     Sacramento River settlement contract over water service or 
     repayment contractors;
       (2) affect the United States ability to deliver water to 
     the San Joaquin River exchange contractors from the 
     Sacramento River and the Delta via the Delta-Mendota Canal or 
     modify or amend the rights and obligations under the Purchase 
     Contract between Miller and Lux and the United States and the 
     Second Amended Exchange Contract between the United States, 
     Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and Central 
     California Irrigation District, San Luis Canal Company, 
     Firebaugh Canal Water District and Columbia Canal Company;
       (3) affect the allocation of water to Friant division 
     contractors of the CVP;
       (4) result in the involuntary reduction in contract water 
     allocations to individuals or entities with contracts to 
     receive water from the Friant division;
       (5) result in the involuntary reduction in water 
     allocations to refuge contractors; or
       (6) authorize any actions inconsistent with State water 
     rights law.

                       Subtitle C--Infrastructure

       Sec. 531. Shasta reservoir enlargement project. 
       Section 40902(a)(2) of the Infrastructure Investment and 
     Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``this 
     Act, except for any project for which--'' and inserting 
     ``this Act; or''; and
       (B) by striking clauses (i) and (ii); and
       (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``(except that 
     projects described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph 
     (B) shall not be eligible)''.
       Sec. 532. Water supply plan; projects.
       (a) Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of the Bureau of 
     Reclamation shall develop a water deficit report, which shall 
     identify--
       (1) projected water supply shortages in the State of 
     California for irrigation water service, municipal and 
     industrial water service, water supply for wildlife refuges 
     supplied by the CVP or the SWP; and
       (2) infrastructure projects or actions which, if taken, 
     would--
       (A) significantly reduce or eliminate the projected water 
     supply shortage; or
       (B) fulfill water allocations consistent with agricultural, 
     municipal and industrial contractors, water service or 
     repayment contractors, water rights settlement contractors, 
     exchange contractors, and SWP contractors with water delivery 
     contractors on the CVP and SWP.
       (b) Report to Congress.--The Commissioner of the Bureau of 
     Reclamation shall provide a report described in subsection 
     (a) to the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate 
     Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Natural 
     Resources, the Senate Committee on Energy, and the Senate 
     Committee on Natural Resources upon its completion.
       Sec. 533. Conservation fish hatcheries. 
       Section 4010(b)(5) of the Water Infrastructure Improvements 
     for the Nation Act (Public Law 114-322) is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(D) Semi-annual report.--The Secretary of the Interior 
     and the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Committee 
     on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate semi-
     annual reports that detail activities carried out under this 
     paragraph.''.
       Sec. 534. Storage; duration.
       (a) Storage.--Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure 
     Improvements for the Nation Act (Public Law 114-322) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``or any public 
     agency organized pursuant to State law'' and inserting ``any 
     public agency organized pursuant to State law, or any 
     stakeholder''; and
       (2) in subsection (i), by striking ``January 1, 2021'' and 
     inserting ``January 1, 2028''.
       (b) Duration.--Section 4013 of the Water Infrastructure 
     Improvements for the Nation Act (Public Law 114-322) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) section 4007, which (except as provided in paragraph 
     (3)), shall expire on December 31, 2028; and''.
       Sec. 535. Shasta dam enlargement 
       No provision of State law shall preclude or otherwise 
     prevent any public water agency, including a public agency of 
     the State, that contracts for the delivery of CVP water from 
     assisting or cooperating with, whether by loan, grant, 
     license, or otherwise, the planning and construction of any 
     project undertaken by the Bureau of Reclamation to enlarge 
     Shasta Dam.

                       Subtitle D--CVPIA Actions

       Sec. 541. CVPIA restoration actions.
       (a) Refuge Water Supply Program.--Not later than 2 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall complete the refuge water supply program under 
     section 3406(d) of the Central

[[Page H5081]]

     Valley Project Improvement Act (title XXXIV of Public Law 
     102-575; 106 Stat. 4722) and shall, within that 2-year 
     period, give priority to completing the refuge water supply 
     program when making funding decisions from the Central Valley 
     Project Restoration Fund established under section 3407 of 
     the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (106 Stat. 4726), 
     the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-
     25), the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (Public Law 88-
     578), and other sources of funding.
       (b) Restoration Actions Deemed Complete.--Upon completion 
     of the refuge water supply program pursuant to subsection 
     (a), or September 30, 2025, whichever occurs first, the 
     Secretary of the Interior shall deem complete the fish, 
     wildlife, and habitat mitigation and restoration actions 
     mandated under section 3406 of the Central Valley Project 
     Improvement Act (title XXXIV of Public Law 102-575; 106 Stat. 
     4714).

          Subtitle E--Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act

       Sec. 551. Definitions. 
       In this subtitle:
       (1) Bureau.--The term ``Bureau'' means the Bureau of 
     Reclamation.
       (2) Cooperating agencies.--The term ``cooperating agency'' 
     means a Federal agency with jurisdiction over a review, 
     analysis, opinion, statement, permit, license, or other 
     approval or decision required for a qualifying project under 
     applicable Federal laws and regulations, or a State agency 
     subject to section 503(c).
       (3) Qualifying projects.--The term ``qualifying projects'' 
     means new surface water storage projects in the States 
     covered under the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 
     1093), and Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act 
     (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.) constructed on lands administered by 
     the Department of the Interior or the Department of 
     Agriculture, exclusive of any easement, right-of-way, lease, 
     or any private holding, if the project applicant or sponsor 
     elects to participate in the process authorized by this 
     title. Such term shall also include State-led projects (as 
     defined in section 4007(a)(2) of the WIIN Act) for new 
     surface water storage projects in the States covered under 
     the Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), and 
     Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that Act (43 U.S.C. 
     371 et seq.) constructed on lands administered by the 
     Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture, 
     exclusive of any easement, right-of-way, lease, or any 
     private holding, unless the project applicant elects not to 
     participate in the process authorized by this title.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       Sec. 552. Establishment of lead agency and cooperating 
     agencies.
       (a) Establishment of Lead Agency.--The Bureau is 
     established as the lead agency for purposes of coordinating 
     all reviews, analyses, opinions, statements, permits, 
     licenses, or other approvals or decisions required under 
     Federal law to construct qualifying projects.
       (b) Identification and Establishment of Cooperating 
     Agencies.--The Commissioner of the Bureau shall--
       (1) identify, as early as practicable upon receipt of an 
     application for a qualifying project, any Federal agency that 
     may have jurisdiction over a review, analysis, opinion, 
     statement, permit, license, approval, or decision required 
     for a qualifying project under applicable Federal laws and 
     regulations; and
       (2) notify any such agency, within a reasonable timeframe, 
     that the agency has been designated as a cooperating agency 
     in regards to the qualifying project unless that agency 
     responds to the Bureau in writing, within a timeframe set 
     forth by the Bureau, notifying the Bureau that the agency--
       (A) has no jurisdiction or authority with respect to the 
     qualifying project;
       (B) has no expertise or information relevant to the 
     qualifying project or any review, analysis, opinion, 
     statement, permit, license, or other approval or decision 
     associated therewith; or
       (C) does not intend to submit comments on the qualifying 
     project or conduct any review of such a project or make any 
     decision with respect to such project in a manner other than 
     in cooperation with the Bureau.
       (c) State Authority.--A State in which a qualifying project 
     is being considered may choose, consistent with State law--
       (1) to participate as a cooperating agency; and
       (2) to make subject to the processes of this subtitle all 
     State agencies that--
       (A) have jurisdiction over the qualifying project;
       (B) are required to conduct or issue a review, analysis, or 
     opinion for the qualifying project; or
       (C) are required to make a determination on issuing a 
     permit, license, or approval for the qualifying project.
       Sec. 553. Bureau responsibilities.
       (a) In General.--The principal responsibilities of the 
     Bureau under this subtitle are--
       (1) to serve as the point of contact for applicants, State 
     agencies, Indian Tribes, and others regarding proposed 
     qualifying projects;
       (2) to coordinate preparation of unified environmental 
     documentation that will serve as the basis for all Federal 
     decisions necessary to authorize the use of Federal lands for 
     qualifying projects; and
       (3) to coordinate all Federal agency reviews necessary for 
     project development and construction of qualifying projects.
       (b) Coordination Process.--The Bureau shall have the 
     following coordination responsibilities:
       (1) Preapplication coordination.--Notify cooperating 
     agencies of proposed qualifying projects not later than 30 
     days after receipt of a proposal and facilitate a 
     preapplication meeting for prospective applicants, relevant 
     Federal and State agencies, and Indian Tribes--
       (A) to explain applicable processes, data requirements, and 
     applicant submissions necessary to complete the required 
     Federal agency reviews within the timeframe established; and
       (B) to establish the schedule for the qualifying project.
       (2) Consultation with cooperating agencies.--Consult with 
     the cooperating agencies throughout the Federal agency review 
     process, identify and obtain relevant data in a timely 
     manner, and set necessary deadlines for cooperating agencies.
       (3) Schedule.--Work with the qualifying project applicant 
     and cooperating agencies to establish a project schedule. In 
     establishing the schedule, the Bureau shall consider, among 
     other factors--
       (A) the responsibilities of cooperating agencies under 
     applicable laws and regulations;
       (B) the resources available to the cooperating agencies and 
     the non-Federal qualifying project sponsor, as applicable;
       (C) the overall size and complexity of the qualifying 
     project;
       (D) the overall schedule for and cost of the qualifying 
     project; and
       (E) the sensitivity of the natural and historic resources 
     that may be affected by the qualifying project.
       (4) Environmental compliance.--Prepare a unified 
     environmental review document for each qualifying project 
     application, incorporating a single environmental record on 
     which all cooperating agencies with authority to issue 
     approvals for a given qualifying project shall base project 
     approval decisions. Help ensure that cooperating agencies 
     make necessary decisions, within their respective 
     authorities, regarding Federal approvals in accordance with 
     the following timelines:
       (A) Not later than 1 year after acceptance of a completed 
     project application when an environmental assessment and 
     finding of no significant impact is determined to be the 
     appropriate level of review under the National Environmental 
     Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
       (B) Not later than 1 year and 30 days after the close of 
     the public comment period for a draft environmental impact 
     statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
     (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), when an environmental impact 
     statement is required under the same.
       (5) Consolidated administrative record.--Maintain a 
     consolidated administrative record of the information 
     assembled and used by the cooperating agencies as the basis 
     for agency decisions.
       (6) Project data records.--To the extent practicable and 
     consistent with Federal law, ensure that all project data is 
     submitted and maintained in generally accessible electronic 
     format, compile, and where authorized under existing law, 
     make available such project data to cooperating agencies, the 
     qualifying project applicant, and to the public.
       (7) Project manager.--Appoint a project manager for each 
     qualifying project. The project manager shall have authority 
     to oversee the project and to facilitate the issuance of the 
     relevant final authorizing documents, and shall be 
     responsible for ensuring fulfillment of all Bureau 
     responsibilities set forth in this section and all 
     cooperating agency responsibilities under section 554.
       Sec. 554. Cooperating agency responsibilities.
       (a) Adherence to Bureau Schedule.--
       (1) Timeframes.--On notification of an application for a 
     qualifying project, the head of each cooperating agency shall 
     submit to the Bureau a timeframe under which the cooperating 
     agency reasonably will be able to complete the authorizing 
     responsibilities of the cooperating agency.
       (2) Schedule.--
       (A) Use of timeframes.--The Bureau shall use the timeframes 
     submitted under this subsection to establish the project 
     schedule under section 504.
       (B) Adherence.--Each cooperating agency shall adhere to the 
     project schedule established by the Bureau under subparagraph 
     (A).
       (b) Environmental Record.--The head of each cooperating 
     agency shall submit to the Bureau all environmental review 
     material produced or compiled in the course of carrying out 
     activities required under Federal law, consistent with the 
     project schedule established by the Bureau under subsection 
     (a)(2).
       (c) Data Submission.--To the extent practicable and 
     consistent with Federal law, the head of each cooperating 
     agency shall submit all relevant project data to the Bureau 
     in a generally accessible electronic format, subject to the 
     project schedule established by the Bureau under subsection 
     (a)(2).
       Sec. 555. Funding to process permits.
       (a) In General.--The Secretary, after public notice in 
     accordance with subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of 
     title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the 
     ``Administrative Procedure Act''), may accept and expend 
     funds, to the extent provided in advance in appropriations 
     Acts, contributed

[[Page H5082]]

     by a non-Federal public entity to expedite the evaluation of 
     a permit of that entity related to a qualifying project.
       (b) Effect on Permitting.--
       (1) Evaluation of permits.--In carrying out this section, 
     the Secretary shall ensure that the evaluation of permits 
     carried out using funds accepted under this section shall--
       (A) be reviewed by the Regional Director of the Bureau of 
     the region in which the qualifying project or activity is 
     located (or a designee); and
       (B) use the same procedures for decisions that would 
     otherwise be required for the evaluation of permits for 
     similar projects or activities not carried out using funds 
     authorized under this section.
       (2) Impartial decision making.--In carrying out this 
     section, the Secretary shall ensure that the use of the funds 
     accepted under this section for a qualifying project shall 
     not--
       (A) substantively or procedurally impact impartial decision 
     making with respect to the issuance of permits; or
       (B) diminish, modify, or otherwise affect the statutory or 
     regulatory authorities of the cooperating agency.
       (c) Limitation on Use of Funds.--None of the funds accepted 
     under this section shall be used to carry out a review of the 
     evaluation of permits required under subsection (b)(1)(A).
       (d) Public Availability.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     all final permit decisions carried out using funds authorized 
     under this section are made available to the public, 
     including on the internet.

                                TITLE VI

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 601.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act may 
     be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to influence 
     congressional action on any legislation or appropriation 
     matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to 
     Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.
       Sec. 602. (a) None of the funds made available in title III 
     of this Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or 
     instrumentality of the United States Government, except 
     pursuant to a transfer made by or transfer authority provided 
     in this Act or any other appropriations Act for any fiscal 
     year, transfer authority referenced in the report 
     accompanying this Act, or any authority whereby a department, 
     agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government 
     may provide goods or services to another department, agency, 
     or instrumentality.
       (b) None of the funds made available for any department, 
     agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government 
     may be transferred to accounts funded in title III of this 
     Act, except pursuant to a transfer made by or transfer 
     authority provided in this Act or any other appropriations 
     Act for any fiscal year, transfer authority referenced in the 
     report accompanying this Act, or any authority whereby a 
     department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States 
     Government may provide goods or services to another 
     department, agency, or instrumentality.
       (c) The head of any relevant department or agency funded in 
     this Act utilizing any transfer authority shall submit to the 
     Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a 
     semiannual report detailing the transfer authorities, except 
     for any authority whereby a department, agency, or 
     instrumentality of the United States Government may provide 
     goods or services to another department, agency, or 
     instrumentality, used in the previous 6 months and in the 
     year-to-date. This report shall include the amounts 
     transferred and the purposes for which they were transferred, 
     and shall not replace or modify existing notification 
     requirements for each authority.
       Sec. 603. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used to maintain or establish a computer network 
     unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and 
     exchanging of pornography.
       (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds 
     necessary for any Federal, State, Tribal, or local law 
     enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal 
     investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
       Sec. 604. (a) No federal monies shall be expended in 
     furtherance of any agreement among private entities for 
     consolidated interim storage of spent nuclear fuel that is 
     not specifically authorized under federal law until such time 
     that host state and local governments and any affected Indian 
     tribes have formalized their consent.
       (b) Provided that the prohibition provided for in this 
     section shall not apply to facilities presently storing 
     commercial spent nuclear fuel, pursuant to an NRC license, as 
     of the date of enactment of this Act.
       (c) For purposes of this section, ``spent nuclear fuel'' 
     shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2 of the 
     Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.
       Sec. 605.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to carry out any program, project, or activity that 
     promotes or advances Critical Race Theory or any concept 
     associated with Critical Race Theory.
       Sec. 606.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be made available to implement, 
     administer, apply, enforce, or carry out the Equity Action 
     Plan of the Department of Energy, or Executive Order 13985 of 
     January 20, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 7009, relating to advancing 
     racial equity and support for underserved communities through 
     the Federal Government), Executive Order 14035 of June 25, 
     2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 34593, relating to diversity, equity, 
     inclusion, and accessibility in the Federal workforce), or 
     Executive Order 14091 of February 16, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 
     10825, relating to further advancing racial equity and 
     support for underserved communities through the Federal 
     Government).
       Sec. 607. (a) In general.--Notwithstanding section 7 of 
     title 1, United States Code, section 1738C of title 28, 
     United States Code, or any other provision of law, none of 
     the funds provided by this Act, or previous appropriations 
     Acts, shall be used in whole or in part to take any 
     discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially, 
     on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance 
     with a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, 
     that marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one 
     man and one woman.
       (b) Discriminatory action defined.--As used in subsection 
     (a), a discriminatory action means any action taken by the 
     Federal Government to--
       (1) alter in any way the Federal tax treatment of, or cause 
     any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, 
     delay, or revoke an exemption from taxation under section 
     501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of, any person 
     referred to in subsection (a);
       (2) disallow a deduction for Federal tax purposes of any 
     charitable contribution made to or by such person;
       (3) withhold, reduce the amount or funding for, exclude, 
     terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, any Federal 
     grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, 
     guarantee, loan, scholarship, license, certification, 
     accreditation, employment, or other similar position or 
     status from or to such person;
       (4) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny, any entitlement or benefit under a 
     Federal benefit program, including admission to, equal 
     treatment in, or eligibility for a degree from an educational 
     program, from or to such person; or
       (5) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make 
     unavailable or deny access or an entitlement to Federal 
     property, facilities, educational institutions, speech fora 
     (including traditional, limited, and nonpublic fora), or 
     charitable fundraising campaigns from or to such person.
       (c) Accreditation; Licensure; Certification.--The Federal 
     Government shall consider accredited, licensed, or certified 
     for purposes of Federal law any person that would be 
     accredited, licensed, or certified, respectively, for such 
     purposes but for a determination against such person wholly 
     or partially on the basis that the person speaks, or acts, in 
     accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral 
     conviction described in subsection (a).
       Sec. 608.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to finalize, implement, administer, apply, or enforce 
     the proposed rule entitled ``Energy Conservation Program: 
     Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Clothes 
     Washers'' published by the Department of Energy in the 
     Federal Register on March 3, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 13520), or 
     any substantively similar rule.
       Sec. 609.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement, administer, apply, enforce, or carry 
     out any diversity, equity, and inclusion office, program, or 
     training.
       Sec. 610.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement or enforce section 370 of Public Law 
     116-283 with respect to civil works projects.
       Sec. 611.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used by the Department of Energy to award any grant, 
     contract, subcontract, award, loan, program, support, or 
     other activity, to any entity who enters into, or maintains, 
     partnerships or licensing agreements with any entity of 
     concern, as defined in section 10114 of title I of division B 
     of Public Law 117-167.

                  state-owned enterprises prohibition

       Sec. 612. (a) Innovate in America.--None of the funds made 
     available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of Energy 
     to award a contract, subcontract, grant, or loan to an entity 
     that--
       (1) is owned or controlled by, is a subsidiary of, or is 
     otherwise related legally or financially to a corporation 
     based in a country that--
       (A) is identified as a nonmarket economy country (as 
     defined in section 771(18) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
     U.S.C. 1677(18))) as of the date of enactment of this Act;
       (B) was identified by the United States Trade 
     Representative in the most recent report required by section 
     182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2242) as a priority 
     foreign country under subsection (a)(2) of that section; and
       (C) is subject to monitoring by the Trade Representative 
     under section 306 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2416); 
     or
       (2) is listed pursuant to section 9(b)(3) of the Uyghur 
     Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-145).
       (b) Exception.--For purposes of subsection (a), the 
     Secretary of Energy may issue a waiver, to be made publicly 
     available, to an entity in which the legal or financial 
     connection to a corporation is a minority relationship or 
     investment.
       (c) International Agreements.--This section shall be 
     applied in a manner consistent

[[Page H5083]]

     with the obligations of the United States under applicable 
     international agreements.

                       Spending Reduction Account

       Sec. 613.  $0.
       This Act may be cited as the ``Energy and Water Development 
     and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024''.

  The Acting CHAIR. All points of order against provisions in the bill, 
as amended, are waived.
  No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall be in order 
except those printed in part B of House Report 118-242, amendments en 
bloc described in section 3 of House Resolution 756, and pro forma 
amendments described in section 4 of that resolution.
  Each further amendment printed in part B of the report shall be 
considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only 
by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, 
shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided 
and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject 
to amendment except as provided by section 4 of House Resolution 756, 
and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
  It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on 
Appropriations or her designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting 
of amendments printed in part B of the report not earlier disposed of. 
Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 
20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees, 
shall not be subject to amendment, except as provided by section 4 of 
House Resolution 756, and shall not be subject to a demand for division 
of the question.
  During the consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their 
respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at 
any point for the purpose of debate.


       Amendments En Bloc Offered by Mr. Fleischmann of Tennessee

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 756, I offer 
amendments en bloc.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc consisting of amendment Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 
9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21, 23, and 33 printed in part B of House Report 
118-242, offered by Mr. Fleischmann of Tennessee:


           Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Lawler of New York

       Page 3, line 1, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


          Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Molinaro of New York

       Page 3, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000) (reduced by $10,000,000)''.


           Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Graves of Louisiana

       Page 3, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,746,000,000) (reduced by 
     $1,746,000,000)''.


          Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Molinaro of New York

       Page 3, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000) (reduced by $10,000,000)''.


          Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Phillips of Minnesota

       Page 5, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000) (reduced by $3,000,000)''.


             AMENDMENT NO. 7 OFFERED BY MR. MOYLAN OF GUAM

       Page 7, line 3, insert ``typhoon,'' before ``and other''.
       Page 8, line 3, insert ``typhoon,'' after ``hurricane,''.


           AMENDMENT NO. 8 OFFERED BY MR. LAWLER OF NEW YORK

       Page 7, line 5, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.


             AMENDMENT NO. 9 OFFERED BY MR. MOYLAN OF GUAM

       Page 7, line 5, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,500,000)''.
       Page 7, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,500,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 10 OFFERED BY MS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 18, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 18, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 34, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''.


          AMENDMENT NO. 11 OFFERED BY MS. BOEBERT OF COLORADO

       Page 18, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $4,000,000)''.
       Page 34, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $4,000,000)''.


            Amendment No. 17 Offered by Mr. Fallon of Texas

       Page 26, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000) (reduced by $5,000,000)''.


          Amendment No. 18 Offered by Mr. Walberg of Michigan

       Page 26, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $7,000,000) (increased by $7,000,000)''.


           Amendment No. 21 Offered by Mrs. Peltola of Alaska

       On page 32, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $3,000,000) (increased by $3,000,000)''.


            Amendment No. 23 Offered by Mr. Jackson of Texas

       Page 35, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 37, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,000,000)''.


           Amendment No. 33 Offered by Mr. Lawler of New York

       Page 61, line 6, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur) each will control 10 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, this bipartisan en bloc amendment was 
developed in coordination with the minority. It contains 
noncontroversial amendments addressing important issues at the agency's 
funded in this bill that have been agreed to by both sides. I support 
its adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this amendment. I know it 
took a lot of effort on the part of the chair, and we appreciate your 
cooperation. The en bloc contains noncontroversial amendments from 
Members of both parties, and I have no objections. I urge support of 
the amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman of 
Louisiana (Mr. Graves).
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Fleischmann and 
Ranking Member Kaptur for their cooperation here.
  Mr. Chair, dating back to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, there 
was funding that provided important advancement of projects known as 
the Comite project, which is north of my hometown of Baton Rouge, as 
well as the West Shore project in the River Parishes.
  Mr. Chairman, these projects date back, in the case of Comite, date 
back all the way to the early 1980s, one of these awful Army Corps of 
Engineer projects that has been stalled for so long. We had a record 
flood in 2016, by some measure a 1,000-year flood that would have been 
tempered or mitigated if this project had been constructed, and 
thankfully in BBA 2018, the project was fully funded. The folks were 
excited and believed that we were going to be moving forward on this 
project.
  Similarly, Mr. Chairman, the West Shore project actually started 
before I was born, literally, 1970, 1971. That project had been stalled 
and had not advanced at all until we were able to get the authorization 
passed through Congress in 2016 and we were able to get the project 
what we believed was also fully funded in BBA 2018.
  Mr. Chairman, what we found today is that these project costs have 
skyrocketed. In the case of the West Shore project, it is approximately 
$1.3 billion short now and in the case of the Comite project, it is 
about $447 million short. What this amendment does, this is an 
increase/decrease amendment of approximately $1.75 billion and it is 
designed to complete these projects.
  Mr. Chairman, it is kind of like being a little bit pregnant. The 
project just doesn't work. It is either completed and it is functional, 
or it is not. We have got to finish these projects. We have to ensure 
the resiliency of these communities. I know that my two colleagues here 
being the chair and the ranking member of this committee, the 
subcommittee, with the Corps of Engineers knows the importance of 
investment in resiliency or mitigation efforts and certainly know the 
importance that they share.
  I thank them again for accepting our amendment and look forward to 
continuing to work with you.

[[Page H5084]]

  

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                  Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 3, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $715,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $715,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, this amendment eliminates the funding for the 
Delaware River Basin Commission, the funding that is from the Federal 
Government.
  Unfortunately, this bill provides nearly three quarters of a million 
dollars to the Delaware River Basin Commission, meaning that since 
1998, the Federal Government has provided funding of some sort to this 
commission full of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats that have 
unilaterally, in this case, instituted a hydraulic fracturing ban for a 
portion of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, literally stripping away 
the property and mineral rights from Pennsylvanians in direct 
contravention of the will of the legislature.
  These people aren't elected by anybody. They are not accountable to 
anybody. Most people have no idea who the people on this commission 
even are.
  The result is a prohibition on the development of critical shale 
plays in eastern Pennsylvania that can bring desperately needed natural 
gas to the market and the unconstitutional taking of mineral rights of 
the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Americans are having 
unelected bureaucrats take their rights away.
  It is an attack on Pennsylvania energy and American energy. At a time 
when residential natural gas prices are near record highs, it creates 
significant inflation, cost-of-living increases for our constituents, 
and empowers our enemies abroad.
  Now, instead of taking action to stop this unconstitutional seizure 
of State authority, as my other amendment that was not made in order 
would have done, or better yet, dissolving the compact altogether, this 
bill, as it currently exists, rewards the radical commissioners with 
money from the very taxpayers the Delaware River Basin Commission is 
attacking.
  Providing funds to such an out-of-control, radical commission is a 
step in the wrong direction that incentivizes others like it to follow.
  This amendment that I am offering would rescind this money and move 
it to the spending reduction account, ensuring that we do not further 
incentivize this commission to attack American energy and the rights of 
Pennsylvania while trying to pay off some of our $33 trillion of debt.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and send a 
message to these unelected bureaucrats by supporting this amendment, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment, which would strip Federal funding for the Delaware River 
Basin Commission. This amendment would remove $715,000, funding that I 
secured through the community project funding process.
  This amount is mere pennies within the entire Federal budget and 
provides an outsized return on investment for the millions of Americans 
who rely on the Delaware River Basin for clean water and recreational 
use.

                              {time}  1830

  The basin provides drinking water to over 14.2 million people and 
contributes approximately $22 billion in annual economic activity.
  The Delaware River Basin provides immense value to the region, and 
the Federal Government's small but critical role in managing the 
region's water resources is vital to maintaining the Commission's work.
  This amendment is an assault on the communities that rely on the 
resources and the economy of the basin, and it is an attack on those 
who have fought to secure this necessary funding for the next fiscal 
year; therefore, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, my colleague says that it costs mere 
pennies. These mere pennies add up to mere dollars. These mere dollars 
add up to thousands, eventually millions and eventually billions, which 
is where we are right now.
  It talks about return on investments. It talks about it but it 
doesn't say what the return on investment is, because there isn't any 
return on investment.
  It provides immense value, it is claimed. Yet, the value cannot be 
described. It cannot be quantified. No one knows what the value is.
  Will the Delaware River Basin go away if the Commission were not 
there? Are you saying without the Commission there would be no safe 
drinking water?
  The actions that this commission has taken are unfounded, 
unjustified, and are happening nowhere else. Yet, there is clean 
drinking water across the rest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
without this commission banning public and private activity.
  My colleague says it is necessary funding. Necessary for what? What 
are we getting for this? Somebody is getting something, but the people 
of Pennsylvania, they are getting the shaft.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chair, needless to say, I disagree with the 
premise of my wonderful colleague across the aisle.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water 
Development.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this 
amendment.
  Let's be clear. This amendment reduces funding for the Army Corps of 
Engineers' investigations account by $715,000, with the amendment 
description's stated intent of eliminating funding for the Delaware 
River Basin Commission.
  I will note that the actual bill language of the amendment only 
reduces funding for the account. It does not in any way eliminate 
funding for the Delaware River Basin Commission.
  However, I vigorously oppose the stated intent behind this amendment, 
especially since the Delaware River Basin, which flows into the 
Delaware Bay and then into the Atlantic Ocean, covers over 13,000 
square miles in four States.
  As established by law through the Delaware River Basin Compact that 
went into effect in 1961, the Commission consists of the Army Corps of 
Engineers and the four basin State Governors. Those States include 
Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.
  The Corps of Engineers in these States work as equal partners for 
planning, development, and regulatory actions for the river basin. 
Frankly, all across the country we are facing issues that deal with 
very large watersheds and basins that in the past centuries and decades 
didn't face what we face today with water flows.
  While the Commission's work could be further discussed, my strongest 
reason for opposition to this amendment is that the underlying bill 
provides $715,000 to the Delaware River Basin Commission as community 
project funding on behalf of two Members of this body. The community 
project funding process allows Members of Congress to request funding 
for their community to meet urgent needs that they identify. There is a 
rigorous process for vetting and inclusion of community project 
funding, including strict transparency and accountability rules. I am 
shocked that one Member would target another Member's community

[[Page H5085]]

project funding through an amendment on the floor.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this 
amendment.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I would say I dispute the claim that they 
work in collaboration.
  The Delaware River Basin Commission itself, in contravention of the 
Pennsylvania legislature, has banned the practice all over northern 
Pennsylvania. Hydraulic fracturing; banned it in contravention of the 
will and the wishes of the elected members of the Pennsylvania 
legislature.
  I would say this as well: The Corps of Engineers can do this work 
whether there is a commission or not, or whether this money is here or 
not. The Corps of Engineers has wide latitude to do that work all 
across the country. They don't need our involvement.
  Finally, the individual States involved in this compact, that is why 
they got into the compact. They charge people in the individual States 
all kinds of permit fees and regulatory fees to pay for this 
Commission. Yet, somehow the Commission can't survive without more 
money from the Federal Government. It is ridiculous, it is duplicative, 
it is costly, it is unaffordable, it is unnecessary, and it needs to 
end.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I simply say as we finalize this 
discussion, that there are 14.2 million people who are being affected, 
who will be affected, and who think this is important.
  There is a $22 billion economic activity that will be impacted. 
Needless to say, I have chosen this as a project that I support because 
in the time that I have had the opportunity to serve the 12th 
Congressional District in the State of New Jersey, this is an issue 
that I find very important. I do hope that my colleagues will oppose 
this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 12 Offered by Mr. Neguse

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 12 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 18, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 34, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Neguse) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer my amendment which would 
allocate additional funding to the Bureau of Reclamation for the 
Colorado River Compliance Account and to support the Upper Colorado and 
San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Programs.
  Mr. Chair, first, I would express my gratitude to the ranking member, 
who has served with such distinction in this body representing 
northwestern Ohio, Toledo and Sandusky, and doing her part to build a 
better future for the people of Ohio and the people of our country. In 
particular, her service as ranking member of this august subcommittee 
and always trying to find a way to bridge the divide and to build a 
bipartisan path forward.
  It is unfortunate that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
have regrettably chosen not to do that with this particular bill.
  However, with respect to this amendment, the Upper Colorado and San 
Juan River Basin Recovery Programs provide us with an opportunity to 
chart a bipartisan path forward. They are a model of successful 
partnership and collaboration across agencies, States, with both 
Federal and non-Federal partners in my State of Colorado, in addition 
to Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
  I have been leading legislation over the past several years to 
reauthorize these programs, including bipartisan legislation in the 
previous Congress, which was signed into law and legislation this year 
that would extend the programs for an additional 7 years.
  The programs work to recover and protect four species of endangered 
and threatened fish, while providing Endangered Species Act compliance 
for over 2,500 water projects.
  The Colorado River Compliance Account provides critical Federal 
support for these programs, and my amendment would simply increase the 
Bureau of Reclamation's funding to direct additional Federal resources 
to these programs.
  I hope it is an amendment that my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle can support. It is common sense.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, 
although I am not opposed to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Tennessee is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, the Upper Colorado River and San Juan 
River Endangered Species Program enjoys bipartisan support in the 
region, providing for a collaborative approach to species management, 
avoiding a heavy-handed ESA listing.
  This program enables robust power production at Glen Canyon Dam, and 
I support the gentleman's amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee 
for his support and his words with respect to this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio 
(Ms. Kaptur), the distinguished ranking member of the Energy and Water 
Development Subcommittee.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I thank Congressman Neguse for yielding and 
compliment him on the hardworking representation of the people of 
Colorado.
  There could not be a more complex water system than the one that his 
community is a part of, and most of America has no idea about the 
plumbing of the West, so I really compliment him.
  I know that funding provided in this bill will help advance or 
complete projects to protect the Humpback Chub, Bonytail, Colorado 
Pikeminnow, and Razorback Sucker that are feeling the impacts of 
drought while allowing water development projects to proceed.
  We know many reports, including one from the United Nations just a 
couple years ago, talked about the extinction of natural species across 
our country and world. We must combat these efforts to prevent 
biodiversity loss, particularly in areas like the Colorado River, which 
was diverted for the first time in American history recently. That is a 
showstopper by anyone's measure.
  We need to provide the resources necessary to continue this 
collaborative work in the Upper Colorado and San Juan Basins.
  I thank my colleague for his leadership on this. I also thank the 
chair of the subcommittee for his great effort to try to accommodate as 
many members as possible.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Colorado 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 13 Offered by Mr. Neguse

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 13 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

[[Page H5086]]

  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 18, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $500,000)''.
       Page 34, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $500,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Colorado (Mr. Neguse) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chairman, I would assure the chairman of the 
subcommittee that I won't be asking for a recorded vote on this 
amendment, but it is a similar amendment to the amendment just offered.
  Essentially, this amendment directs the allocation of funding from a 
different account, again, to support this incredibly important program 
for all the reasons that had been stated by, of course, the ranking 
member of the subcommittee as well as the chairman previously.
  The headwaters of the Colorado River are in my district. As the 
ranking member so eloquently stated, we face a complex set of 
challenges in the West as it relates to the Colorado River, which I 
continue to work to address in my State of Colorado and, of course, 
working with our colleagues in the Upper Basin and Lower Basin States.
  This program, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin Endangered 
Species Recovery Implementation Program, I think is a great and salient 
example of a way in which we can chart unique solutions to really 
pressing challenges; in this case, of course, the potential for 
endangered species in our community and in our water basins.
  All that being said, Mr. Chairman, without belaboring the point, I 
would simply say it is a program worth investing in and it is why I am 
pursuing this particular amendment, and I hope my colleagues can 
support it.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition, 
although I do not oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Tennessee is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, similar to my colleague's previous 
amendment, this program enjoys broad bipartisan support and enables 
robust hydropower production that provides electricity to benefit the 
entire region.
  Mr. Chair, I support the gentleman's amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the subcommittee chairman, again, 
for his indulgence and support on this particular amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).
  The amendment was agreed to.

                              {time}  1845


               Amendment No. 14 Offered by Mr. Westerman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 14 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 21, line 6, after the dollar amount insert 
     ``(decreased by $5,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I commend Chairman Fleischmann for the hard work in the 
Appropriations Committee and this particular subcommittee and the good 
product that they put out.
  I do have a slight adjustment I would like to make to it, even though 
the subcommittee was very generous in working with the Natural 
Resources Committee and other committees in getting the base text.
  I rise in support of Westerman amendment No. 14. It is an amendment 
that I would describe as an intentionally punitive amendment, but with 
a just cause: to protect the integrity of the legislative branch and, 
more specifically, the House of Representatives.
  My amendment reduces funding for the Bureau of Reclamation's policy 
and administration account to fiscal year 2022 levels. At the Bureau of 
Reclamation, the policy and administration account finances the 
agency's centralized management and administrative functions that are 
not chargeable directly to a specific project or program. This includes 
the Office of the Commissioner, the administration's political 
leadership of the agency.
  You may be asking why the chairman of the Committee on Natural 
Resources is here asking for an administrative funding cut to an agency 
under our jurisdiction. One of Congress' most vital responsibilities is 
oversight of the executive branch, making sure they are accountable to 
the American people. Congressional hearings are an important tool that 
we use to engage directly with administration officials and to conduct 
oversight on policy objectives, openly debate legislation, and 
spotlight waste, fraud, and abuse occurring in agencies.
  These officials have an obligation to be responsive to Congress, 
engage in the oversight process, and be accountable to the American 
people. However, this administration, like many others from the past, 
on both sides of the aisle, chose to blatantly disregard this 
responsibility when they specifically refused to participate in a 
congressional hearing earlier this year.
  There, we considered H.R. 215, Congressman Valadao's WATER for 
California Act. This legislation addresses the operation of the Central 
Valley Project, which is a Federal water project owned and operated by 
the Bureau of Reclamation. This legislation is critical not only to the 
Central Valley but to our entire country's food supply. The legislation 
was important enough that it was included in the base text of this 
bill.
  However, even with ample notification with an invitation sent 2 weeks 
prior to the hearing, the Bureau of Reclamation failed to appear at the 
hearing. The Bureau of Reclamation employs roughly 5,000 employees, so 
they clearly have the ability to send a representative. While written 
testimony was submitted the day before the hearing, this was a poor 
substitute for engaging with the committee members.
  Non-Federal witnesses who appeared at the hearing repeatedly 
mentioned the Bureau of Reclamation, which daylighted the missed 
opportunities for dialogue between the agency and the people they 
serve.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Ohio is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, first of all, I have great respect for the 
gentleman who offers this amendment, but I do find myself in the 
position of opposing it.
  In step with the myriad amendments offered by Republicans to reduce 
leadership salaries, this amendment seeks to reduce funding for the 
Bureau of Reclamation's policy and administration account by $5 
million, ostensibly to fund it at the fiscal year 2022 enacted level. 
However, in fiscal year 2022, $64.4 million was appropriated for policy 
and administration, so this amendment reduces this funding by $4.321 
million below the fiscal year 2022 enacted level.
  The Bureau of Reclamation brings water to 31 million people and is 
the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United 
States, producing enough electricity to serve 3.5 million homes. This 
account funds day-to-day Bureau of Reclamation management, 
administrative, and policy functions that are necessary to ensure 
effective and efficient implementation of all Bureau of Reclamation 
programs from which 31 million people receive water and 3.5 million 
homes receive electricity. That is a big job.
  This account also funds the Office of the Commissioner and regional 
offices. This leadership is critical for ensuring that one in five 
Western farmers has irrigation water for 10 million acres of 
farmland that produce 60 percent of our Nation's vegetables and 25 
percent of its fruits and nuts.

[[Page H5087]]

  According to the United States Census Bureau, my colleague comes from 
a district of approximately 751,000 people, of which approximately 1.5 
percent are in occupations related to farming, fishing, and forestry. I 
don't think the gentleman's amendment benefits his district.
  With the West reeling from the historic megadrought, the worst in 
1,200 years, where we have just had to divert the Colorado River for 
the first time in American history, why would any of my colleagues want 
to hamstring the Bureau of Reclamation's management and the direction 
and guidance necessary to achieve Reclamation-wide program and mission 
accomplishment? This is a moment in American history when we need to 
help them.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I will again point out that this funding is 
for the administrative part of the Bureau of Reclamation. It has 
nothing to do with functions that are chargeable directly to a specific 
project or program.
  The Bureau of Reclamation does oversee many important programs. We 
want to see those programs function properly, and we also want 
accountability from the executive branch. The executive branch's clear 
pattern of disregard for congressional oversight indicates an entitled 
leadership that lacks accountability to the American taxpayer.
  It is not my goal to have to come to the floor and cut the budget of 
an agency because they refuse to respond to Congress, but what tools do 
we have when they will not even come to a hearing that is directly 
related to the work that they do and when they just act like 
congressional oversight is an annoyance to them and is nothing serious?
  My amendment will send a clear message to the executive branch that 
blatant disregard for congressional oversight is unacceptable.
  Mr. Chair, I hope this is a bipartisan sentiment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arkansas 
will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 15 Offered by Mr. Griffith

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 15 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 25, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,100,000,000)''.
       Page 28, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $600,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chair, my amendment is just plain common sense. It 
addresses the importance of all types of research and development 
funding at the Department of Energy, specifically the energy research 
conducted at the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
  I believe we need a plan that is closer to parity between renewable 
energy and fossil fuels and research on ways to reduce the 
environmental and climate impact of the use of fossil fuels.
  In the underlying bill, $2.994 billion is appropriated for energy 
efficiency and renewable energy, while only $857.9 million is 
appropriated for fossil energy and carbon mitigation. I am advocating 
with this amendment that we should be closer to parity between the 
amount of money appropriated for fossil energy and carbon mitigation 
research and DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. My 
amendment increases the fossil energy and carbon mitigation account by 
$600 million, along with a reduction of $1.1 billion from the 
renewables account.
  This year alone, we have seen that these concepts that we are going 
to get rid of fossil fuels are just not realistic, Mr. Chairman. We saw 
a plant open up, or at least the plans for it, a Panasonic plant in 
Kansas, that was going to do electric vehicle batteries. The problem 
was, in order to get the plant, they needed more electricity. The 
electric utility in Kansas, Evergy, decided that one of the coal-fired 
power plants that they thought they were going to do away with, close 
down, they needed to keep it open because they couldn't build electric 
vehicle batteries without the fossil fuel, coal-powered plant.
  This is not the only place that we see that. In India, there are 
about 300 million people who don't have electricity, a little bit less 
than the population of the United States. They don't have a steady 
source of electricity. If you are a leader in India, Mr. Chairman, I 
would submit, and you have coal, which they do, you are probably going 
to build some coal-fired power plants because their people deserve and 
want the same kind of electricity that we have in our country, at least 
for now, so they are going to build coal-fired power plants.
  China has been building coal-fired power plants left and right. Some 
of the numbers indicate that the energy production of those plants is 
equal to about two new plants every week last year. They are also 
funding more coal-fired power plants in sub-Saharan Africa.
  Here is what we have. While we want to clean up the environment, the 
world is going to continue to use fossil fuels, particularly coal, not 
just in the United States. People say we can be completely pure, but 
that is myopic. We can't be because when we look at the air supply in 
the world, according to a NASA study a few years back, it takes about 
10 days for air to travel from the middle of the Gobi Desert in China 
to the eastern shore of Virginia.
  When all of these other places are using fossil fuels, isn't it smart 
on our part, if we want a clean environment, Mr. Chairman, that we find 
better ways to use that coal-fired power, that we find better ways to 
use gas power? We are going to continue to use it whether we think we 
are or not, and the rest of the world is going to continue to use it.
  With the money we spend here, we can export that research and get 
some of the money back maybe, but more importantly, we can clean up the 
air for the entire world instead of thinking that we are living in some 
kind of bubble in the United States and that if we get rid of coal-
fired power plants and fossil fuel plants, everything is going to be 
hunky-dory.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1900

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I share some of my colleagues' 
concerns about the excess spending at EERE, particularly in light of 
the billions in increased spending provided in past appropriations 
bills, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act.
  EERE still has billions in unobligated funds, and that is exactly why 
this bill, the bill that we have before the House, includes a large 
reduction to this account.
  However, in my view, respectfully, my colleague's amendment would go 
too far to practically eliminate the EERE account. This would impact 
the important work performed by the national labs and universities to 
implement the research and development goals of EERE. These goals 
include advancing energy efficiency solutions for the manufacturing of 
cement, steel, and iron; creating and improving battery technologies; 
and developing critical mineral alternatives.
  While I am a supporter of EERE, I also recognize fossil fuels are 
going to be an important resource for many years to come. However, I 
don't believe these two accounts need to be at odds with each other.
  I personally favor an all-of-the-above approach to meet the Nation's 
future

[[Page H5088]]

energy needs. That approach includes strategic reductions to EERE that 
prioritize research activities like the goals I mentioned earlier.
  My distinguished colleague's amendment, in my view, upends that 
strategy and goes too far, respectfully. For these reasons, I must 
oppose the amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I say to my distinguished colleague and 
my friend that we disagree, and here is why. We have to get to a point 
where we are at parity. Every time we look at it, the money for 
renewables is huge, and the money for fossil fuel research, where we 
can make things better for the whole world, is minuscule in comparison. 
I am trying to level it out, and I would hope that that would be the 
long-term goal of our appropriators, to level it out. That is why I 
brought this amendment.
  I, too, am for all of the above. That is why I didn't zero out the 
account. However, I think we have to pay attention to what is happening 
in the world and not be myopic when it comes to recognizing that if we 
are going to continue to use fossil fuels, we ought to do it cleaner 
and do it better. We ought to put more money into U.S. research on 
fossil fuels, everything from using fossil fuels to come up with rare 
earth to making it cleaner when we burn it for electricity to build 
electric vehicle battery plants.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio 
(Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. 
I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.
  I hear what he is saying, but I think that we have to work harder 
together to embrace the future and not just depend on the past.
  I agree with him on fossil fuels and rare earths. We visited the 
fossil fuel energy center in southwest Pennsylvania. I was fascinated 
by some of the work going on there. I think we need to fund it, and we 
are.
  This amendment reduces funding for the Department of Energy's energy 
efficiency and renewable energy account by $1.2 billion, and I don't 
think that that places America in the position I want her to be in, 
which is number one in the world.
  Now, that proposal is also on top of another $466 million reduction 
in the underlying bill itself and the $1 billion reduction incorporated 
by the manager's amendment.
  This funding provides for clean, affordable, and secure energy and 
ensures American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy 
economy.
  I will tell you, this past year in my region of the United States--
and it came here to Washington, ultimately--a very strange haze began 
floating down from Canada into the United States due to the forest 
fires up there and the changing nature of the environment. I have lived 
in the same place my whole life, and I never saw anything like that 
before. It ruined my rhododendron plant. All that gunk got all over it.
  I was talking to a friend who came up from Florida, and he goes: 
Marcy, the winds took that all the way down to near the panhandle in 
Florida.
  I said: Are you kidding me? It got down that far? The Earth's 
ecosystem is changing, and we have to catch up to Mother Nature.

  The account being targeted funds the Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, the Office of State and Community Energy Programs 
that supports important services like the Weatherization Assistance 
Program to save energy, the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply 
Chains, and the Federal Energy Management Program itself.
  Those programs focus on energy technology ranging from biofuels--the 
first biofueled F-16 flew out of the 180th Fighter Wing in my district. 
That was a great moment. That was almost 15 years ago.
  Biofuels have now become such an important part of our economy, as 
well as hydrogen, solar, wind, and a whole broad range of energy 
technologies to make America energy independent in perpetuity--
geothermal, what we are learning on that; advanced manufacturing; 
building efficiency and weatherization; and the list goes on.
  Without these programs, we are jeopardizing U.S. leadership across a 
range of possibilities. The world is set to invest a record $1.8 
trillion in clean energy in 2023, and that is expected to climb to $4.5 
trillion by the year 2030. We want to be a leader. With $4.5 trillion 
per year on the line, we have the choice to embrace American leadership 
and invention.
  Let me just mention that if the Department of Energy's goals are 
achieved, the hydrogen industry will produce $140 billion in revenue 
and over 700,000 jobs by 2030.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this harmful 
amendment, but I am very happy to continue to work with the gentleman 
to find ways that we can reach accommodation.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Murphy). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.


                  Amendment No. 16 Offered by Mr. Roy

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 16 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 25, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced to $0)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Roy) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Chairman, the amendment that I have here fully defunds 
the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
  The FY23 omnibus gave this office $3.5 billion, and while the 
underlying bill and rule cut funding down to $2 billion, we believe we 
ought to defund it entirely.
  That is particularly true coming on the heels of the $1.2 trillion, 
if you believe the media accounting and reports on the impact of the 
so-called Inflation Reduction Act. We believe this is additional 
spending that the American people do not need.
  Let the market do what the market is going to do. If people want to 
go out and get electronic vehicles, and people want to go out and spend 
their money on something, good for them, great.
  This office continues to be funded to continue to perpetuate this 
when the office's mission is ``to equitably transition America to net-
zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050,'' 
which is a fool's errand.
  We are undermining our own national security and undermining our own 
economy in the process, making us beholden to China and undermining our 
ability to actually have a serious policy in the Middle East, by the 
way. Right now, we don't even have sanctions in place. We are allowing 
Iran to make billions of dollars, upward of $30 billion to $60 billion, 
depending on what reports you look at, on exporting oil to China. We 
have totally blown it with Saudi Arabia, which has created the 
environment that we are now dealing with in the Middle East, all while 
this administration, by the way, dumped the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve, all of this while pursuing this foolish energy policy, which 
is undermining our own national security and economy.
  Now, we are going to go ahead and say, sure, let's appropriate 
another, in this case, $2 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy. We don't need to be doing this. Let the American 
people go sort this out.
  We say that we are going to subsidize wind and solar because it is 
supposedly enhanced reliability. Tell that to the people of Texas. 
Texas has more wind than any other State in the country.

[[Page H5089]]

Thumbs up. That is great. Say that to all the people who are wondering 
whether they are going to have power because the grid in Texas is 
getting dangerously close to not having the ability to sustain. The 
only reason we are able to sustain it is because Texas is trying to 
push and hold up the coal and the gas-fired plants that actually 
provide reliable energy.
  We are subsidizing the unreliable energy at the expense of the 
reliable energy. Instead of building nuclear power, instead of making 
sure a gas-fired plant is sitting there ready to roll--there is no 
investment in any of the projects going on into Texas' gas-fired 
plants. American, Texas gas that we should, by the way, be exporting 
around the world, including to Europe. Instead, we are undermining our 
very grid, our own reliable energy, and we are undermining our ability 
to compete in the world.
  I suggest that this money would be better spent, especially when, I 
don't know, the last time I checked we had $2 trillion in deficits.
  What are we spending our money on? Seriously, how are we actually 
going to balance our budget and eliminate deficits when we keep 
spending money on projects like this?
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I thank the distinguished gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Roy) for filing this amendment, but I respectfully oppose 
the same.
  I do share some of my colleague's concerns about the excess spending 
at EERE. I would also like to emphasize that EERE received over $16 
billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and many of 
these dollars are still unobligated.
  These reasons are exactly why the original bill reduced EERE by $466 
million below the fiscal year 2023 level and why I offered further 
reductions in this bill of $1 billion.
  In total, these reductions would bring EERE below the fiscal year 
2016 level. However, my colleague's amendment goes too far in 
eliminating EERE.
  I am a supporter of the EERE program and the work they do to advance 
research and development on renewable technologies, advanced 
manufacturing, and battery improvements. That includes essential work 
on critical minerals that will help lay the groundwork for technologies 
that will reduce our reliance on foreign supplies.
  I think this is an issue that we all can support. I support strategic 
reduction to EERE, but I am not in favor of eliminating the account and 
walking away from its ongoing work.
  For these reasons, I must respectfully oppose the amendment, and I 
urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. ROY. Mr. Chair, while I thank my friend and colleague and I 
appreciate the fact that through his work and the work of Republicans, 
we did reduce it by $1.5 billion, but there remains another $2 billion 
of funding.
  I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle: How are we going 
to ever balance the budget when we continue to fund things like this?
  That is my question. Why don't we pay for this, then? Can we at least 
pay for this out of something? Why don't we pay for this out of the 
Inflation Reduction Act? Why don't we pay for it by eliminating some of 
the IRS agents that got expanded?
  Tell me. Go to the American people and say, what would you like to 
give up to pay for that? That is what I would like to know. I would 
like to know for the American people: What would you give up in order 
to pay for $2 billion of more of this kind of subsidy?
  By the way, in the Inflation Reduction Act, 90 percent of the 
subsidies go to corporations making over a billion dollars.
  Mr. Chair, 78 percent of electric vehicle tax credits are claimed by 
Americans making over $100,000. Couples making up to $300,000 are still 
eligible.
  These subsidies could make wind and solar account for nearly 60 
percent of U.S. electricity generation by 2050, which might sound fine 
in unicorn land, but for the people who need reliable energy on a 
cloudy, windless day, we might actually want to have gas or coal or 
nuclear.
  By the way, all of this subsidizes the heck out of China. We are 
talking about making us not reliant on foreign energy sources.
  Well, what about China? China is the one producing most of these 
solar panels and a lot of the battery elements. Why are we continuing 
to do that?
  I suggest that that is a waste of taxpayer money, it is unpaid for, 
and we shouldn't continue to perpetuate it.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio 
(Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding and rise in 
strong opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Ohio is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. The underlying bill already cuts the energy efficiency 
and renewable energy program by $1.5 billion or 42 percent below last 
year.
  Now, there are a lot of people that are complaining about that, and I 
would be the first one to say that our country should not cede any new 
markets or capitulate to global competitors in the field of energy.
  I think that we have to keep our foot on the accelerator in many 
energy sectors. The gentleman is right. Texas has been a leader in so 
many ways; certainly in wind energy, but not just that.
  In terms of the solar industry and how do we pay down the debts that 
prior Congresses and administrations racked up? We grow our economy.
  By growing our economy, more revenues come in, and they are. They are 
coming into the private sector. They are coming into the government.
  A whole lot more people who aren't paying their fair share of taxes 
should be, and that would help. The way we balance budgets is not to 
kill economic growth.
  One of the areas we grow in is energy. These are jobs that are good 
jobs, and they create wealth for the Nation.
  We have to keep up our dominance in this country. For the solar 
industry, which is something I am terribly interested in, I represent 
the most important domestic manufacturer of solar in our country.
  Overall, the whole industry across our Nation supports 333,000 jobs 
now. Mr. Chair, 20 years ago, they were in a very different position, 
and 40 years ago, they almost didn't exist.
  America is now creating utility scale solar, and the invention of the 
American people is unstoppable. We can't give a signal that we are 
going to capitulate to anybody, but we have got to develop these new 
energy sectors.
  The gentleman is right about the grid. The grid is worn out all over 
this country. Ask anybody in Ohio about that. It has been 
underinvested.
  We will find a way by growing the economy, and some of the new bills 
we have passed for infrastructure have allowed us to modernize the 
grid.
  Well, let's connect the dots. We can choose to give up American 
leadership in these technologies, or we can actually put our foot on 
the accelerator.
  I really think that the gentleman's amendment, though he believes it 
is well intentioned, does move America backward, and I cannot support 
it, and therefore, I oppose it.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 19 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 19 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:


[[Page H5090]]


  

       Page 31, line 21, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $35,000,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $35,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment strikes $35 million in 
funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
  For those unfamiliar with this office, according to its website, it 
accelerates the market adoption of clean energy technologies and fills 
a critical innovation gap on the path to 100 percent clean energy by 
2035 and net zero emissions by 2050.
  I am going to characterize it a different way. Since the real market, 
the private market won't do it, you are going to pay for it under force 
by your taxes so that you can have less reliable energy as soon as 
possible, and we can be less energy independent. That is what it does, 
courtesy of your Federal Government.
  It funds projects like long-duration energy storage and distributed 
energy systems to support the electric grid for electric vehicles, 
which are also being subsidized by your Federal Government under force 
of penalty of you not paying your taxes. It is astounding.
  The Democrats continue to push this technology when the drawbacks of 
this so-called clean energy technology are clear.
  The actual grid is being powered by solar and wind energy sources 
that are inherently unreliable and don't work when the Sun is not 
shining and the wind is not blowing.
  Battery technology storage is not there, and of course, all that 
stuff that I just talked about comes from China, and oh, by the way, 
built with slave labor, whether that is in Turkistan or whether that is 
in the Congo.
  Your tax dollars are supporting it under penalty of law. Try not 
paying your taxes and see what happens then.
  Vehicles powered by this grid are built largely using slave labor 
like I just talked about and our reliance on the Communist Party of 
China since they control all the necessary components in the mineral 
supply chains.
  Not that we don't have them in America. They say they are rare earth 
minerals. Mr. Chairman, they are not rare.
  We just can't mine them in America because the left doesn't allow 
that, so now we have got to buy them from China. That is another story.
  Vehicles powered by this grid are built largely, like I said, using 
slave labor and the supply chains that go with them.
  These vehicles have limited range. Their lithium batteries often 
catch fire. Those fires are more difficult to extinguish than 
traditional fires.
  This office that I am talking about is also managing $2.5 billion for 
carbon capture facilities and greenhouse gas monitoring technology.
  Mr. Chair, if these technologies were so great, why isn't the market 
already adopting and innovating without taxpayer-funded handouts?
  My friends on the other side of the aisle will tell you these are 
critical investments, and they are not going to happen if the Federal 
Government doesn't do them. If we don't take your tax dollars and spend 
it on this, it ain't going to happen.
  My goodness. Thank goodness that this country didn't become the 
greatest country on the planet without the Federal Government 
subsidizing all this stuff.
  I don't know how Thomas Edison would have made it. I don't know how 
Ford Motor Company would have made it without the Federal Government. 
Somehow they did it, Mr. Chair.
  I appreciate that the chairman did not approve additional funds for 
these clean demonstration projects, but my amendment strikes all the 
funds for this office.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge support of my amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I thank my good friend from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Perry) for filing this, but I must respectfully oppose the 
amendment.
  The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations is primarily responsible 
for implementing and managing over $21 billion provided by the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
  I am keenly aware of the scale of that sum of money and the 
importance of our oversight responsibility to ensure taxpayer funds are 
correctly administered.
  That is exactly why the House bill includes no funding--and I repeat 
no funding--for the office to conduct new demonstrations and instead, 
only includes funding for program direction for staff to provide 
project management oversight.
  My colleague's amendment would eliminate that function, preventing 
the office from ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are being used 
effectively and efficiently.
  That would directly impact the success of important programs within 
the office's jurisdiction like the Advanced Reactor Demonstration 
Program.
  The Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program enjoys strong bipartisan 
support. The program is essential to the deployment of advanced 
reactors, ensuring our Nation's energy security and regaining U.S. 
leadership in nuclear energy.
  We can't abandon our oversight responsibilities and risk the success 
of programs like these. For these reasons, I must respectfully oppose 
the amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I certainly respect the good gentleman from 
Tennessee, and I thank him for the time.
  I don't know. It seems like a lot of money still remaining for 
project management oversight. That doesn't seem to be billions of 
dollars' worth of spending to me; maybe millions, but not billions.

  As far as advanced reactor research, I am proud to say that in the 
district that I represent, some of the fusion reactor research that is 
being done in France is being produced in the district I represent, 
which is awesome, but we don't need to be paying for it. France is 
paying for it, and we are providing some expertise and some material.
  Oh, by the way, the good gentleman from Tennessee, much of the home 
of nuclear fission and nuclear energy is in the United States of 
America. God bless America. I think it is awesome. When have we built a 
nuclear reactor in the United States of America? I know the district 
that I represent just shut one down.
  We are paying for all this research. Tell me where it is. What does 
it provide? What does it produce? It doesn't produce anything.
  If it was building nuclear reactors, maybe I could see it, but it 
seems to me we are paying for it and putting the research on the shelf, 
or worse yet, giving it to France.
  Mr. Chairman, I don't care what it costs. It ought to end. I urge 
adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 20 Offered by Mr. Norman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 20 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 32, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $470,000,000)''.
       Page 32, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $37,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman

[[Page H5091]]

from South Carolina (Mr. Norman) and a Member opposed each will control 
5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, what my amendment does is it eliminates 
funding to the tune of $470 million for ARPA-E, Advanced Research 
Projects Agency-Energy; $470 million.
  What this Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy is designed to 
fund are high-risk, high-reward projects in which the private sector 
would never invest in.
  Since it is taxpayers' money, what this proposed amendment does is to 
cut funding because it doesn't do the job that the dollars that they 
expended it to.
  The problem is that ARPA-E does not always seem to follow its own 
guidelines. The Federal Government has awarded several ARPA-E grants to 
companies and projects that are neither high risk nor something that 
private industry cannot support. In other words, they don't need the 
crutch.
  These problems with ARPA-E were identified by the GAO, the Department 
of Energy Office of Inspector General, and the House Science, Space, 
and Technology Committee.
  Of the 44 small- and medium-sized companies that received an ARPA 
award, the GAO found that 18 had previously received private-sector 
investments for similar technology. It is a duplicate.
  The GAO found that 12 of those 18 companies plan to use ARPA-E 
funding to either advance or accelerate prior funded projects.
  I am in the real estate business. That is like paying me double to 
build you a house or a shopping center. How much sense does that make? 
It doesn't.
  Mr. Chair, in your world, it pays double to do one surgery. How does 
that work out? It is taxpayers' money. It should never have been funded 
in the first place.

                              {time}  1930

  High-risk, high-reward programs are not necessary, especially when 
there is a bias to fund technologies that have already received funding 
to make the program appear on the surface successful. Congress should 
restructure the DOE to conduct the basic research that the private 
sector would never undertake and create a system that allows the 
private sector, using private funds, to tap into that research and 
commercialize it. Federal labs should allow basic research to reach the 
market organically.
  Until that happens, we should defund ARPA-E, just as the Trump 
administration did. The market is the best place to determine the merit 
of an investment and whether it is a good or a bad investment. If a 
project cannot find private support, it is a good indicator of its 
prospects for success. Certainly, a lack of private investors alone 
does not justify using taxpayers' money to support a project.
  Indeed, technologies that lose private financing as they move closer 
to commercialization are likely the worst bets for taxpayers' money, 
since professional investors have already determined them to be losers.
  What you find out on grants such as this, if you really analyze the 
line items, it goes to overhead. What is overhead?
  That is paying salaries of people with jobs that you can't have an 
outcome for. I have seen these. That is why a lot of the grants that 
are written are vague; they can use the money wherever. This isn't like 
it is a $50,000 investment, it is $470 million.
  At the time when our growing national debt has surpassed $33 
trillion, we cannot continue to use taxpayers' dollars to fund this 
useless research.
  I think the last figure I heard one of my colleagues mention, that we 
are paying $20,400 per second in interest on the $33 trillion. That is 
just the interest, not counting the principal.
  As I mentioned, ARPA-E does not follow its guidelines. It is loosely 
interpreted. They can use the money wherever they want. My question is: 
Why ARPA-E funding and not private capital?
  If it is that good of a project, let the private sector invest in it. 
You have sharp investors that know what they are doing, they could 
determine whether they want to risk their capital.
  In short, this project should be defunded. It is at a time we can't 
afford it. I would urge the cut of this $470 million project, for 
something that yields no benefit to the taxpayers, and I urge adoption.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I thank my dear friend and colleague from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for filing this, but I must respectfully 
rise in strong opposition to the amendment.
  My colleague's amendment would eliminate the Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, or ARPA-E. ARPA-E's mission is to fund projects that 
are not yet addressed in the private sector but can bring about 
transformational shifts in current energy technologies.
  Nearly 75 percent of ARPA-E awards go to small businesses and 
academia. ARPA-E projects have led to over 1,000 patents being issued 
and have attracted more than $11.5 billion in follow-on funding from 
the private sector.
  These projects push the envelope on what is possible in the energy 
sector and will continue to play an important role in maintaining U.S. 
leadership to develop the next generation of energy technologies. I 
believe these are goals that all of us can support.
  I, therefore, must respectfully oppose the amendment and urge my 
colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman has the only time remaining.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise 
in opposition to this amendment. I am sure the gentleman offering it is 
well-intentioned.
  I will say, in many of the energy technologies that I have observed, 
unlike the real estate industry, they always say real property, you can 
tangibly touch it, you can see that it is there, you can measure it. 
ARPA-E really focuses on that which is not yet measurable.
  If you see the movie ``Oppenheimer'' and you look back at the history 
of our country and how we began to actually move into atomic energy, it 
was very experimental and very dangerous. The government got involved, 
and at that point in history we had to win a war. We learned a whole 
lot about nuclear energy at that point, but part of it was 
uncontrollable.
  I was at an event yesterday with companies that are working on 
unbelievable technologies, which aren't quite solved yet, but where we 
can take metals like titanium and nickel and do things with them to 
carry current that we never were able to do before. They are working 
with research labs because it is so utterly complicated.
  I would say to the gentleman, you know, sometimes private enterprise 
doesn't invest because the research has to occur through a longer 
period of time, and you need programs like ARPA-E who do the most 
amazing work. Our fracking technologies, our drilling technologies for 
natural gas, those came through not the private sector initially, they 
came through the Government of the United States because there wasn't 
any private sector company willing to invest.
  I know in my own district, where we are known for the glass industry, 
some of the research that has been necessary to thinly layer different 
types of material in order to produce more efficient solar panels 
actually had to be assisted with government help because there were no 
angel investors in my part of the country. So the Department of Energy, 
through photovoltaic research, discovered inventors who were doing 
great things in America, and helped them to move their technology 
forward. Now we have the greatest domestic producer of solar in the 
middle part of the country--not California, not the East Coast, not the 
South, but in the Great Lakes region.

  What I have seen out of ARPA-E is high-level basic research that most 
companies, frankly, aren't dedicated to. It is very different than the 
real estate industry, it is over a longer time horizon.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this 
amendment.

[[Page H5092]]

  

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from South 
Carolina will be postponed.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 22 will 
not be offered.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 24 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 25 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 25 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 58, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert, 
     ``(reduced by $35,000,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert, 
     ``(increased by $35,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment cuts $35 million from this 
bill for the Appalachian Regional Commission, lowering the funding 
level in this bill to $165 million.
  The IIJA provided the Appalachian Regional Commission with an 
advanced appropriation of $200 million a year--the entirety of its 
authorization level for fiscal year 2022 through 2026, meaning every 
dollar provided under this bill is more than the authorization level. 
We authorize things here and then we pay for them. It is authorized at 
a lower level, and we are paying much more.
  In other words, under this amendment the ARC would receive $365 
million for the fiscal year rather than $400 million provided by this 
underlying bill. Even with this minimal cut under this amendment, the 
program funding is still extremely bloated, and its effectiveness 
remains unclear, as do all the regional commissions.
  Moreover, this Commission's programs are duplicative of other Federal 
economic development programs and better addressed by State and local 
levels. In fact, the fiscal year 2018 budget justification identified 
that the Appalachian Regional Commission failed to show a strong link 
between grants and a positive impact on the communities they serve.
  Worse, this year, the Commission's inspector general identified the 
massive increase in the Commission's funding over recent years as a 
threat to its variability to evaluate grant proposals, measure program 
performance, and conduct appropriate oversight.
  When we were talking about the last one, we needed the money for 
oversight. This one, we have got so much money that they can't oversee 
it. This is your Federal Government at work here. The spike in funding 
threatens to worsen an already tenuous link between funding and 
success.
  We simply must bring the funding level for the ARC, the Appalachian 
Regional Commission, down to ensure that it has the capacity to ensure 
it meets its mission.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I thank my distinguished friend from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) for filing the amendment.
  My great State of Tennessee, which I represent the Third District of 
Tennessee, our State and other States greatly benefit from the 
Appalachian Regional Commission.
  This amendment would eliminate the Appalachian Regional Commission 
which provides funding for hundreds of cost-shared projects, partnering 
with private industry to bring needed jobs to this depressed region.
  The energy and water bill maintains funding for the ARC at the fiscal 
year 2023 level of $200 million. These communities, and many of which I 
represent, cannot afford to lose millions of dollars in private 
investment this Commission leverages.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio 
(Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment 
and in support of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
  Let me say that the Commission itself is a partnership between the 
Federal Government and 13 State governments, focusing on 423 counties 
across the Appalachian region.
  Residents in part of Pennsylvania--evidently the gentleman's area is 
not covered--are served by this Commission. Since 1965, the Appalachian 
region has been struggling, and they have made progress. They have made 
significant progress.
  The number of high-poverty counties in Appalachia has been cut by 60 
percent since 1960. It is a long road. The regional poverty rate has 
been cut by more than half. God bless them.
  However, the region still lags behind the Nation and continues to 
encounter challenges such as the severe substance abuse crisis, as well 
as a downturn in the coal economy. This is the part of America that we 
have to lift up.
  I have been very impressed with the work they are doing in terms of 
restoration of the natural environment and expanded tourism. They are 
working together collaboratively.
  Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this 
amendment. Let's help the American people who need it.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, it just so happens that I had a hearing 
about a week ago on the Appalachian Regional Commission and all the 
other commissions. It is interesting that this has been around since 
the 1960s. There was a map of the Appalachian region, of which the home 
that I reside in looks on the south mountain of the Appalachian 
mountain range. I live right in the center of this thing.
  What was interesting to me of the map that I looked at provided by 
the Commission since the 1960s, showed counties that had reached 
attainment. Well, none of them had reached attainment. It has been 
around since the 1960s. All the ones that hadn't reached attainment in 
the 1960s still haven't reached attainment in 2023. We are spending all 
this money, and we are not getting anything for it. Well, we are 
getting some things for it. You might be able to get a theater in your 
community, reconstructed with the help of the Federal Government, or a 
trail, which is awesome. These are great programs, and I am not here to 
argue that they are not.
  What I am arguing is two things. It is not the job of the Federal 
Government, number one. These are things done by local communities and 
States.

                              {time}  1945

  Two, this is above the authorization. This commission was authorized 
funding. I don't dispute that. However, we are spending money above the 
authorization, and I do dispute that because we are $30-some trillion 
in debt with nothing in sight except more debt.
  People say that we can't cut anything, that there is nowhere to cut. 
Well, we authorized this. This body authorized this at a lower level, 
and then we appropriated at a higher level.
  When you don't have any more money, when you are borrowing money to 
pay your bills, it seems to me that it would be easy to say that we 
will just pull back a little here, just a little, and we will go to 
what is authorized, which is still a lot, hundreds of millions of 
dollars. I guess that is going to be a problem here, though.
  This has no Federal nexus whatsoever. I will tell you, there are nice 
people working here. They want to do great things for their community. 
However, this is a boondoggle. This is spending money where other money 
can be spent and is being spent. This is a duplication of services.

[[Page H5093]]

  Sooner or later, this town is going to have to realize the taxpayer 
doesn't have any more money to be bled out of their pockets to spend on 
things that are spent elsewhere for the same projects, local, State, et 
cetera.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 26 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 26 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 59, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert, 
     ``(reduced by $6,100,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert, 
     ``(increased by $6,100,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment cuts the funding to the Delta 
Regional Authority by $6.1 million, back to the FY19 level.
  In FY17, the Obama administration sought to cut funding for the Delta 
Regional Authority by $3 million. The FY18, FY19, FY20, and FY21 
budgets all sought to eliminate funding for the Delta Regional 
Authority, identifying it as duplicative of other Federal economic 
development programs.
  Mr. Chair, just like I said before on the last one, it is the same 
thing here. I just had a hearing on it. These folks sat in front of me 
and made the same arguments.
  The FY21 budget pointed out that the Delta Regional Authority, like 
others, is set aside for special geographic designations rather than 
applied across the country based on objective criteria indicating local 
areas and levels of distress that, again, don't seem to ever be 
addressed even though we spend millions of dollars.
  We are $33 trillion in the hole. I don't know if you looked at the 
economics and the financials of just the last couple of months, how 
much more we have gone into debt in just the last couple of months. 
Something has to shock the conscience of this Congress because it is 
shocking the conscience of the American people who can't afford 
groceries, gasoline, car payments, or credit card payments. Heaven 
forbid you have to buy a new car. Heaven forbid you try to buy a new 
home.
  We simply can't continue to allow for the rapid growth of parochial 
commissions that duplicate, literally just duplicate, other Federal 
programs undeterred. Regardless of the duplication of the Federal 
programs, most of the stuff looks like it is local programs or State 
programs--again, worthy things. The question is, is there a Federal 
nexus here? There is not in many cases. There is poor oversight, and we 
don't have the money to do it.
  Finally, this is not a partisan issue. Democratic Presidents and 
Republican Presidents have all called for either the abolishment or the 
reduction of these commissions. Both have done it. It is not a partisan 
issue. It is a fiscal issue. It is a responsibility issue.
  These things need to be dealt with. State and locals should do it if 
that is what they are. We don't have the money at the Federal level 
anymore for that.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, once again, I thank the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania for filing this amendment, but I must strongly oppose it.
  This bill provides $31.1 million for the Delta Regional Authority. 
This small investment targets hundreds of depressed communities in the 
Mississippi River Delta region. These communities cannot afford to lose 
the millions of dollars in private investments this commission 
leverages.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Louisiana (Ms. Letlow). I congratulate the great State of 
Louisiana on the election of our Speaker. They also have our great 
majority leader, as well.
  Ms. Letlow has been just a wonderful member of the Appropriations 
Committee, and it has been great to have her on the committee 
representing Louisiana.
  Ms. LETLOW. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to amendment No. 26, 
which would slash funding for the Delta Regional Authority by $6.1 
million.
  This Federal-State partnership is a critical lifeline to my district 
and State by providing dedicated funding to address vital 
infrastructure, workforce, and healthcare needs for rural towns. These 
towns have little to no tax base to be able to raise the funds 
themselves to replace expensive and aging infrastructure systems.
  Rural communities do not have the financial resources to hire grant 
writers to help them through a complex Federal grant process, and 
because of this, these towns miss out on national grant competitions.
  DRA's funding supports a pilot program that would help these 
communities identify opportunities, provide assistance to write the 
applications, and help with implementation.
  While cutting $6.1 million may not seem like a lot, I have seen 
firsthand what a simple $200,000 can do to help grow a rural town.
  Finally, the DRA has had minimal increases over the last 5 years. A 
cut in funding this deep would be a step in the wrong direction.
  On behalf of rural towns across the delta region, I urge my 
colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, in closing, certainly, I congratulate the 
gentlewoman and her great State for the success of all the House of 
Representatives today and their contribution.
  On this occasion, though, I must disagree. As I said, I just had a 
hearing with the Delta Regional Authority present, and she is right, it 
targets hundreds of communities, as do all of these commissions. They 
target hundreds of communities.
  One of the things that was fascinating to me was I asked for the 
metrics by which anything is measured. What measure of success does 
anyone have? Is there some standard? Is there some way to know whether 
all of these millions of dollars that are being spent actually get us 
anywhere, actually fix anything, actually do anything other than: We 
made sure the grants all got out, and we helped with the grant writing. 
We fixed up the sidewalk. We fixed up the theater. We provided some 
healthcare.
  Those are all awesome things that are all being provided by someone 
else, by the way.
  What was the metric by which they measured their success? Close your 
eyes. What do you see? That is what I got back. Nothing. There is no 
measure of success here.
  Mr. Chair, this is well intended. It is well meaning. However, it is 
unaffordable and unnecessary.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.

[[Page H5094]]

  



                 Amendment No. 27 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 27 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 59, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment reduces funding for the 
Denali Commission by $2 million to the FY19 level.
  The Denali Commission's mission for providing job training and other 
economic development services in rural Alaska can be better served by 
the 29 other Federal programs in which it duplicates the very same 
efforts.
  The Obama administration sought to eliminate funding for the 
commission in FY12 because it was duplicative back then and did not 
select projects based on competition or merit. Say it ain't so, but it 
is so.
  In 2013, the inspector general for the Denali Commission called for 
the elimination of the program. Some people say: Perry, you are just 
mean. You just don't understand. You just don't want to help poor 
people or rural people.
  I came from a house with no running water, no electricity, and no 
plumbing. We had an outhouse out back. There was no insulation. There 
was no heat in it. The roads weren't paved. Somehow, I made it to 
Congress. It wasn't the Federal Government's job to fix my mom's house 
or get me to work.
  In 2013, the inspector general for the commission called for the 
elimination of the program, like I said, stating that he recommended 
that Congress put its money elsewhere. I am happy to take his 
recommendation.
  The Trump administration, likewise, sought to eliminate the 
commission in FY18, FY19, FY20, and FY21. It seems imprudent to 
continually fund yet another parochial commission in the face of two 
administrations--one Democratic, one Republican--and the inspector 
general's recommendation that we cease funding.
  At a bare minimum, we should pass this amendment to keep the Denali 
Commission's funding flat at its pre-COVID-19 level and not allow for 
its continued growth. I am not asking to eliminate it. I am saying, oh 
my goodness, two administrations said it ought to be eliminated. The 
inspector general said it should be gone. I am not even taking their 
advice on that. I am just saying, let's save a little money here 
because we have this debt we can't afford.
  Mr. Chairman, I have been to places where the country could no longer 
afford the debt that it had. You walk through shells of buildings just 
abandoned, walked away from by the workers who were there, that were 
once funded by their government. I have watched that in this town, 
right across the river at St. Elizabeth's, where they just shut the 
doors, couldn't afford it anymore, and walked away.
  It is a tragic sight, but if we are going to keep going, it is not 
going to be just this place that does it. It is going to be all across 
the country. If we are going to be able to afford the things that we 
want, we are going to have to make some difficult choices.
  We are taking in $5 trillion this year. We are spending $7.2 
trillion. I am not a mathematician, but somehow that is not adding up 
to me.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, once again, my distinguished friend 
and colleague from Pennsylvania has been consistent in his opposition 
to these regional commissions, and I do appreciate the gentleman's 
positions on this. However, I respectfully disagree.
  The amendment would reduce funding for the Denali Commission, which 
is funded at $17 million in this bill, the same as fiscal 2023. The 
regional commission helps distressed communities across Alaska with 
basic infrastructure, like water and sewage systems and power 
generation.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I will close quickly here. I sure appreciate 
the good gentleman from Tennessee. He has a lot to work with, and he 
has a lot of competing interests here. It is not easy. We certainly can 
appreciate that.
  I want to point out that this is a regional commission, a regional 
commission like the other ones, like the Appalachian Regional 
Commission, like the Delta Regional Authority. Only this one exists in 
only one place, in Alaska. It is a wonderful place. Alaska is a great 
place, part of the United States of America, but tax dollars from 
across the country, including Pennsylvania, Tennessee, or Ohio, 
shouldn't go to pay for local projects that can be handled by State and 
local governments, especially when you are borrowing money to do it. We 
are out of money. We are out.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  2000

  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 28 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 28 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, as the designee of Mr. Norman, I have an 
amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 59, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $17,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, apparently, I was the reasonable one in the 
room because this amendment offered by Mr. Norman would eliminate 
funding for the Denali Commission, and I can support that as well.
  The Denali Commission is one of seven regional commissions that help 
direct Federal funds to State and local projects. However, unlike other 
commissions, the Denali Commission serves only one State--Alaska.
  This has led some, including the Office of the Inspector General for 
the Denali Commission, to question the need for the commission since 
the Federal funds handled by the commission could easily be distributed 
to the State of Alaska and other local entities without going through 
the step of yet one more bureaucracy.
  After all, State and local governments are more knowledgeable and 
better equipped than the Federal Government to address the needs of 
local communities. I think we all would recognize that.
  Both the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget 
Office have raised concerns about the need for the Denali Commission, 
as have I.
  Eliminating funding for the Denali Commission was also suggested, as 
you know, by the Obama administration and the Trump administration. At 
a time when our growing national debt has surpassed $33 trillion, we 
cannot continue to use taxpayer dollars to fund wasteful, unnecessary, 
and duplicative programs. With the Denali Commission's own OIG, Office 
of Inspector General, highlighting how wasteful the agency is, why 
don't we just listen and eliminate this unnecessary Federal agency.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H5095]]

  

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, again, I thank the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania for bringing this motion on behalf of my distinguished 
friend from South Carolina.
  Like the previous amendment, although this one is a bit more 
draconian, I respectfully rise in opposition to it for the reasons I 
alluded to earlier, and I urge a ``no'' vote.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I thank the kind gentleman from Tennessee for 
averring or implying that I am the reasonable one in the debate here, 
and I would, on behalf of the gentleman from South Carolina, urge 
adoption.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 29 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 29 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $20,000,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $20,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer this amendment to reduce 
funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission, or the NBRC, to 
fiscal year 2019 levels.
  Like other regional commissions, the NBRC provides economic 
development assistance to projects in various States, in this case, 
Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.
  These commissions simply serve as a slush fund, though, for parochial 
and regional projects with little to no national nexus as described in 
the other ones.
  Let's take a look at some of the funded programs taken from the 2022 
annual report, which is the latest report available: 304,000 to 
purchase the sound system for an auditorium in New Hampshire; over 
350,000 to expand rail yard capacity in upstate New York; and another 
$350,000 for a sailing center on Lake Champlain.
  I am sure they are awesome projects. I am sure their communities love 
them. I just don't understand why people in Ohio, Tennessee, 
Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Georgia--you name it--are paying for 
this, especially when they can't afford the bills they already have as 
evidenced by a $33 trillion debt and a $2.2 trillion deficit this year.
  Furthermore, the Biden administration's aim to inject their misguided 
diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, and climate-related 
goals into these projects are not only unaffordable, they are just 
completely unnecessary.
  Instead of pandering to special interest groups, we must pare back 
these wasteful programs that only serve as a boondoggle for a limited 
slice of America. This amendment does not zero out the commission's 
funding; it simply reduces the funding to pre-COVID, pre-Biden spending 
levels, which everybody on this side of the aisle voted against last 
December.
  If you were against them last December, we are getting pretty close 
to this December, but I don't think a whole lot has changed. If you 
were against them then, you should be against them now.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, this bill provides $40 million for the 
Northern Border Regional Commission, the same as last year.
  This commission seeks to create jobs in distressed communities of the 
four-State northern region.
  While the impact to overall spending in this bill would be small, the 
impact felt by these communities would be large.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I agree with my good friend from Tennessee. I 
agree with the gentlewoman, my friend from Ohio. It does seek to create 
jobs. That is awesome.
  It is not the role of the Federal Government, number one. Number two, 
it is unaffordable. Number three, we have no way to measure the 
success.
  Do you know how I know? Because I asked the folks that run these 
things. I asked them. What metric do you use to measure the success by 
which you use this money and what do we get out of it?
  I received blank stares, unfortunately.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 30 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 30 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 14, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $19,750,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $19,750,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer this amendment to reduce 
funding for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, the SCRC, to 
fiscal year 2019.
  I don't want to leave anybody out here. I listened to them all. Yet 
again, this commission serves as a duplicative slush fund for parochial 
interests for projects in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
  Literally, by the way, in counties bordering Washington, D.C. We are 
talking about distressed counties, right? Some of the richest counties 
in the country right here are included in this regional commission.
  From FY 2010 to FY 2020, the SCRC received $250,000 annually, all 
without having an appointed Federal co-chair. Did anybody get that?
  Nobody was in charge but to get money. It is awesome. I guess that 
only happens in the Federal Government.
  Now, after a co-chair was appointed in December 2021--unfortunately, 
whether you like it or not, just conveniently related to an influential 
politician in this body--that number is now a whopping $20 million in 
this bill.
  Now, I am sure there is no coincidence. I just want to rely on 
everybody's integrity here, but there is absolutely no reason for the 
dramatic increase in funding, especially when these projects fund both 
projects with no national nexus like electric vehicle charging 
stations.
  If you want to have them in your community, God bless you. That is 
awesome. Go pay for them. It is not the Federal Government's job to pay 
for that any more than it is the Federal Government's job to pay for 
your local gas station.

[[Page H5096]]

  How about stormwater management? It is an important issue. I come 
from Pennsylvania, we have got a lot of stormwater. I am not asking the 
Federal Government to deal with it. We should deal with that at home, 
as well as green infrastructure, according to the SCRC's 2023 through 
2027 strategic plan.
  Our constituents do not have money for these projects that have no 
impact on their lives and, in many cases, drive up inflationary 
spending.
  Oh, sure, they have an impact where you live if you live in one of 
these places, but if you don't, you get to pay anyhow. This is why we 
have State governments. This is why we have local governments.
  The Federal Government is supposed to be there, obviously, but it is 
not the job of the Federal Government. Again, I ask my colleagues to 
consider reducing, not ending, the funding for this regional 
commission.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, once again, I thank my distinguished 
colleague and friend from Pennsylvania for being consistent and very 
thorough in all of his investigations, and I do really appreciate this.
  This has been insightful, but once again, I must respectfully rise to 
oppose the amendment. The energy and water bill includes flat funding 
for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission.
  The amendment would reduce this amount by 99 percent, leaving only 
$250,000, not even enough to cover all administrative costs. This 
commission seeks to create jobs in some of the most poverty stricken 
areas of our Nation, and funding should not be decimated.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I, again, say this commission includes Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and 
Virginia. I have been to every one of them. Many of the residents of 
Pennsylvania are moving to those States because they are doing pretty 
well.
  We lose population compared to these States every 10 years, which is 
why we lose a seat in Congress every 10 years. We are spending money in 
Pennsylvania on these States. We are not spending in Pennsylvania; we 
are spending in these States, so our residents then move to these 
States for all the great things.
  When I asked the regional commissioner how much money has been spent 
in the counties surrounding Washington, D.C.--because, as you recall, 
Virginia is included--how much money is spent on the counties right 
around Washington, D.C., some of the most wealthy counties in the 
country? I couldn't get the answer to that either. I don't know if they 
don't have the answer or they don't want to give me the answer, but 
that is unacceptable. That is unacceptable. The counties around 
Washington, D.C., can afford the amenities they have and they don't 
have to ask all these other States to pay for them.

  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2015

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Moran). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 31 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 31 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 19, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,500,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I don't want to leave anybody out. We are 
getting to the end here. This amendment would be to have the funding 
for the Southwest Border Regional Commission.
  Now, this Commission, which only had its first chairman confirmed in 
2022 and only was funded starting in fiscal year 2021, funds projects 
in the southern border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and 
Texas.
  Incidentally, the first chairman was previously the Director of 
Economic Development and Special Initiatives for Senator Martin 
Heinrich, who continues a theme of politically connected chairman of 
these regional commissions, just to let you know.
  I know that folks on both sides of the aisle care about the border. I 
believe that. However, the answer to solving border problems is to 
actually enforce our Nation's immigration laws, not to give $5 million 
to a commission that has not published a strategic plan and does not 
even appear to have a website.
  I would think they could afford to have a website with $5 million.
  The Commission received $250,000 in FY21 but is now being funded at 
$5 million in this bill for FY24 for literally no results.
  Now $250,000 is a lot of money where I come from, and $5 million is 
even more. I can see inflation; I could see the cost of living going 
up. The people that I represent, their grocery costs are 20 percent up; 
fuel costs, electricity costs, everything they pay for is up, but not 
$250,000 to $5 million. That is a little bit more of a jump than 
everybody is used to.
  Again, this amendment simply strikes this figure in half to a still 
exorbitant $2.5 million.
  Mr. Chair, I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, my friend and colleague from 
Pennsylvania once again has been consistent in his opposition to these 
regional commissions.
  This amendment seeks to cut funding for the Southwest Border Regional 
Commission in half. This Commission seeks to create jobs in some of the 
most poverty-stricken areas of our Nation. This bill provides $5 
million equal to fiscal year 2023. This amount ensures this Commission 
can continue its work and cutting it in half would virtually do nothing 
compared to the overall spending in the bill.
  Mr. Chair, I respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani), my dear friend and also a 
fellow member of the Committee on Appropriations.
  Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
time.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today in respectful opposition to this amendment 
by my good friend from Pennsylvania.
  The Southwest Border Regional Commission encompasses all five of the 
counties that I represent in Arizona's Sixth Congressional District, in 
addition to 88 other counties in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and 
California.
  While I appreciate the sentiment of this amendment to rein in Federal 
funding that I think we can all agree on, cutting funding from the 
Commission is not the way to do so. Of the approximately 35 million 
people the Commission serves, nearly 5 million live in poverty.
  Additionally, of all the regional commissions, the Southwest Border 
Regional Commission has the largest population, about 2.4 million 
people living in the most severely economically distressed counties.

[[Page H5097]]

  These are communities that are dealing with drought, economic 
downfall, and overstretched resources as we see record-high levels of 
illegal immigration along the southwest border. Many of the people live 
in designated health professional shortage areas and lack access to 
clean water and also other necessities.
  The Southwest Border Regional Commission finally received its first 
Federal co-chair just last December. That means that it was just 
recently allowed to begin convening and to begin activities. It would 
be a shame to reduce funding that is so desperately needed to promote 
economic development in our counties along the southwest border.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate my good friend from 
Arizona. We are sure happy to have him here, as well as the gentleman 
from Tennessee, and the work that they have done in collaboration with 
my friends across the aisle. None of this is easy, but only in 
Washington can you go from $250,000 to $2.5 million and still call it a 
cut because you didn't go to $5 million, which is what we are talking 
about.
  I am not saying $250,000 is too much, but I am saying $5 million is 
too much, and saying we should spend $2.5 million, which quite honestly 
for me is too much, but I get it.
  To the gentleman from Arizona's point, he is absolutely right, their 
States are being ravaged and destroyed by the Federal Government's 
refusal and obstinance to follow the law and allowing people to flow 
across the border illegally into their communities and destroy their 
communities.
  This cannot be afforded. It can't be afforded by them and it can't be 
afforded by anybody else. The solution is not to spend more money 
there, to provide more services and encourage more people to come in 
illegally while this administration refuses to enforce the law.

  I think the gentleman would probably agree with at least that 
sentiment at some point. I understand he is trying to do right by his 
citizens, and he should. The best way to do right by his citizens, and 
he has no control of this, neither does anybody in this body at this 
moment, is to actually enforce the law. The President can do that and 
clear up this whole disagreement on this side of the aisle and on that 
side of the aisle, but that is not going to happen any time soon.
  You know what else is not going to happen any time soon, Mr. 
Chairman? We are not going to quit putting our country in debt and 
bankrupting it. We are taking in $5 trillion in revenue this year but 
we are going to spend $7.2.
  While my good friend says this will have no impact on the overall 
cost of the bill, where I come from, $250,000 is a lot of money, $2.5 
million is a huge amount of money, and $5 million is an obscene amount 
of money that most people don't have. While it might have a little 
impact in this town, it has a huge impact in my town.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 32 Offered by Mr. Perry

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 32 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 60, line 24, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $2,500,000)''.
       Page 101, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,500,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I don't want to leave anybody out here on 
the abuse and the waste, and I know I am going to sound like a broken 
record so I will try and keep it short.
  First, the Great Lakes Authority has only been authorized since 2022. 
It still does not have a Federal co-chair, it has no website, it has no 
programs funded. Yet strangely, it is still receiving Federal dollars 
to the tune of $5 million for projects supposedly in the watershed 
regions of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Yes, I said Pennsylvania, and I am from 
Pennsylvania, but when you can't afford things and you are wasting 
money, I don't care where you are from, you have to say something about 
it.
  Mr. Chair, we have seen how the other commissions have gone. 
President Trump urged the elimination of three of them, and President 
Obama recommended cuts and elimination for the Denali Commission. With 
that level of bipartisan criticism of the existing commissions, I don't 
see why we need to dig ourselves even deeper with yet another one. I 
mean, there is not a lot we agree on in this town, but apparently there 
is some agreement on this. We ought to try and forge ahead with that 
agreement.
  I know people in this building will scoff at the difference between 
$2.5 million and $5 million, but like I said, where I come from, $2.5 
million or $5 million is a lot of money. It might not be to the 
President who buys beach homes with cash and all that stuff, but where 
I come from, that is a lot of money. That $2.5 million should not be 
going toward a commission that cannot even begin operations without a 
Senate-confirmed Federal co-chair. It shouldn't be going for that. 
There is nobody there to administer it.
  Furthermore, all of us here know it is not going to stop at $5 
million. This is just the beginning, Mr. Chairman. This Commission, 
like the rest, will balloon up to tens of millions of dollars if 
Congress, using the power of its purse, does not put its foot down. 
This won't be the only commission. I have been through them all 
tonight. Every other State and region is going to say, well, shoot, 
they have one. They have one over there. They have one down there. Why 
don't we have one? It is going to go.
  Again, I would just remind everybody that we are just a little bit in 
debt--just a little bit--$2.2 trillion this year, $33 trillion overall.
  Mr. Chair, somebody has to say no. Somebody has to say no.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Tennessee is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, once again, I thank my distinguished 
friend from Pennsylvania and colleague for his very thoughtful work on 
this entire project. He has covered all of these regions.
  Mr. Chair, this amendment seeks to cut funding for the Great Lakes 
Authority in half, and I strongly oppose it. This is a newly authorized 
regional commission intended to create jobs in communities that need it 
most.
  As we crafted this bill, Mr. Chairman, we actually listened to 
Members and got Members' requests. This Commission, the Great Lakes 
Commission received a tremendous amount of bipartisan support for it. 
It is newly created, and that is one of the reasons that it has not had 
its funding. It has never had funding because it is brand-new.
  Mr. Chair, in that regard, especially in terms of the strong 
bipartisan support for this bill and for this Commission, I urge a 
``no'' vote on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I understand and recognize the good, 
intended efforts, the heartfelt efforts of the committee members and on 
both sides of the aisle, certainly the Members representing the States 
involved. I understand and I recognize that, and I think they mean to 
do well.

[[Page H5098]]

  There is nobody there to administer this. There is nobody present, 
but we are going to give them the money anyhow. We don't have any money 
to give, Mr. Chairman. We are borrowing money to give to a program with 
nobody there to administer it on projects that we haven't even seen 
yet. I don't know about you, but that seems like, to borrow an old 
phrase, putting the cart before the horse, or something like that.
  People are going to say, well, we have to have the money so we can 
set it up. Okay, fair enough. The problem is we don't have the money.
  Again, I don't mean to be a broken record here--I know I sound like 
one--we don't have any money, number one.
  Number two, these are State and local projects. If you are showing me 
one that crosses State lines, and building a highway between 
Pennsylvania and Ohio or something like that, then we have a 
conversation going.
  Now, there are already agencies and administrations to do that--we 
talked about that before--multiple agencies doing the same things, not 
just a couple, a couple dozen, but if that is not enough for you, just 
go with the fact that your constituents, your bosses, my bosses, can't 
afford this.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  2030


                Amendment No. 34 Offered by Mrs. Cammack

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 34 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. ___.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be made available to finalize any 
     rule or regulation that meets the definition of section 
     804(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Mrs. Cammack) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, 
which would restrict funds at the Department of Energy and related 
agencies from being used to finalize any rule or regulation that has an 
annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more.
  Under this administration, the regulatory environment, or regime, as 
I like to call it, has never been worse. For too long, the ever-
increasing regulatory costs have harmed consumers and businesses across 
the country. Since President Biden took office, the regulatory 
landscape has deteriorated by numerous new rules and regulations that 
impact all aspects of our economy and, quite frankly, consumers' bottom 
line. These are the regulations that have added hundreds of billions of 
dollars more in new regulatory costs that are ultimately passed down to 
our consumers, who are our constituents.
  Recently, we have seen new, outlandish regulatory proposals from 
agencies, including the Department of Energy's new regulations that 
were implemented under the guise of efficiency standards. In reality, 
these efforts are part of the administration's efforts to use every 
opportunity to implement the Green New Deal. Just look at the 
efficiency standards that take aim at banning gas stoves and furnaces. 
These regulations are absurd, unnecessary, and make these appliances 
unattainable or simply unaffordable, particularly in this economy, or 
Biden economics, as we have been told this is.
  My amendment would rein in the actions of the Department of Energy 
and related agencies covered by this bill and restore accountability. 
Congress, not the executive branch, is the sole legislative body in 
this country. It is time that we restore the accountability and 
transparency to our constituents by reasserting our Article I 
authority. Congress makes the law, not the White House.
  This amendment would limit the overreach of these agencies and 
prevent costly regulations from going into effect that ultimately 
impact our constituents negatively. It is time that we stand up for our 
constituents and rein in this overgrown, bureaucratic government.
  Mr. Chair, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this 
amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Ohio is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, this amendment is one more controversial 
poison pill policy rider that sadly shows extremist Republicans are not 
interested in bills that can gain bipartisan support and become law.
  Now, let's have a little math. In 2012, before the Bush tax cuts, the 
Congressional Budget Office showed revenues exceeding primary spending 
for the next 65 years and that debt as a percentage of GDP, our gross 
domestic product, everything that we make in a year, would decline 
indefinitely. How about that. That was 2012.
  Since then, tax cut extensions and the Trump tax cuts have added $10 
trillion to the debt to date, and their cost will increase enough over 
time to account for the entire long-term growth in debt ratio. The 
Trump tax cuts are costing us $2 trillion per year. Just look at it. It 
is unbelievable. Remember, those benefits are disproportionately 
enjoyed by the most wealthy.
  If we truly want to protect the American taxpayer, we should be 
marking up bills at levels agreed to between the President, Speaker 
McCarthy, and signed into law in the Fiscal Responsibility Act rather 
than bringing the government to the verge of a shutdown and now marking 
up bills that don't just break the deal but obliterate it by cutting 
critical domestic investments.
  I can't wait for the Debt Commission to actually get the facts out 
there for the American people, because I have been listening to this 
all evening. It is very much off the mark. Let's get serious about 
passing bills that can gain bipartisan support and become law.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this harmful 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Chair, I am confused. My colleague across the aisle 
said that this is a controversial poison pill. Just this year, this 
exact same language was passed off of this floor in this Chamber not 
just with Republican support, but Democrat support. This is not a 
partisan issue.
  Reasserting the will of the people, empowering the people that hired 
us to do this job, that is not a controversial issue, nor is it a 
poison pill. None of our constituents sent us to Washington to cede 
power to an unelected nameless, faceless bureaucrat somewhere in a 
basement in Washington.
  I disagree tremendously that this piece of legislation, this 
amendment specifically, would be a poison pill to the very thing that 
we are trying to accomplish here, one of our critical appropriation 
bills.
  I would also say that today, because of the Biden administration's 
overreach and aggressive regulatory environment, we now spend more than 
$2 trillion a year in our economy on compliance and additional costs.
  Families are paying more than $14,860 a year in additional regulatory 
costs and burdens on them. I don't know many families, certainly not in 
my district, that can afford an additional $14,860 a year in additional 
costs.
  I agree with my colleague, however. It is time to get serious. When I 
say serious, it means reasserting our authority as Representatives of 
the people. This amendment does just that.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).
  The amendment was agreed to.

[[Page H5099]]

  



                 Amendment No. 35 Offered by Mr. Fallon

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 35 
printed in part B of House Report 118-242.
  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to implement, administer, or enforce the final rule 
     of the Department of Energy entitled ``Energy Conservation 
     Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer 
     Furnaces'' signed on September 28, 2023 (Docket ID: EERE-
     2014-BT-STD-0031; RIN 1904-AD20).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 756, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Fallon) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment that 
prohibits funding for the Department of Energy's new rule on gas 
furnaces. It is a regulation that would drastically impact consumers in 
a negative way, unfortunately.
  Under this rule, manufacturers would only be allowed to sell furnaces 
that convert at least 95 percent of fuel into heat, within 6 years. The 
Department of Energy is forcing consumers to choose between an electric 
heat pump or expensive home renovations.
  Once again, unelected bureaucrats are gaslighting--yes, pun 
intended--Congress and the American people about what they can do under 
the law. Under the guise of improving energy efficiency, as prescribed 
by the Environmental Policy and Conservation Act, or EPCA, this 
administration has attacked every single affordable appliance on the 
market. This gas furnace rule is just the latest salvo. We have been 
having hearings in the Oversight Committee about just this kind of 
thing: Are we going to have gas stoves, things like that.
  EPCA states that any standard must result in significant energy 
conservation and be ``technologically feasible'' and ``economically 
justifiable.''
  We have the authority to question the extent of these proposed 
standards to determine whether they can be construed as both 
technologically feasible and economically justifiable.
  Like many of the home appliances standards rammed through by this 
administration, this rule falls short of these criteria. The National 
Propane Gas Association estimates that this rule would impact at least 
40 percent of gas-furnaced homes and would remove up to 60 percent of 
current residential furnaces off the market. Additionally, the 
Department of Energy estimates affected homes will have to pay $2,300 
for renovations plus thousands of additional dollars for actual 
furnaces.
  Propane customers in Texas have already faced a 37 percent increase 
over the last 3 years, and this administration, quite frankly, should 
focus on lowering costs and not increasing them.
  Agency actions that remove consumer choice operate on the assumption 
that the Federal Government knows what is best for its citizens, even 
more so than the citizens themselves. That is why I have always been a 
big, limited-government person. I trust you, Mr. Chair, more so than I 
would trust the Federal Government to know what kind of stove or gas 
furnace you want to heat your home. News flash: You know and the 
bureaucrats don't.
  If we want to have something that severe, it should be legislated. 
There are 435 of us here for a reason. When we come here, if we want to 
change the law or create laws, there is a process for that. It 
shouldn't be unelected, nameless, faceless bureaucrats with that kind 
of power.
  This amendment is a check on arrogant bureaucrats who think that they 
know best for you, Mr. Chair, many of our constituents, and everyday 
Americans across the country.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Ohio is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chair, the Department of Energy is charged with 
implementing congressionally directed energy efficiency standards. When 
the gentleman blithely says he doesn't like unelected bureaucrats, the 
people who work in these departments are trained and actually help 
consumers.
  Frankly, I think it is helpful for consumers to know, when they are 
going to buy a blouse, let's say, whether it is cotton or rayon. It is 
sort of nice to have the label on there. If you are driving a car, it 
is nice to know how many miles per gallon the car is going to get. You 
sort of get a sense of if you are going to buy this one or another one. 
With refrigerators, I think it is really great that you see how much 
energy it uses so you can buy a more efficient refrigerator, so you 
have your electricity bill go down.
  I don't know why the gentleman is objecting to helping the American 
consumer make better choices. In accordance with the statutes that we 
have passed, the Department of Energy has published regulations in the 
Code of Federal Regulations--in other words, it is not by some whim--
for more than 60 categories of appliance and equipment types. That 
helps consumers make good choices.
  The Department of Energy drafts the energy efficiency regulations 
with the full participation of equipment manufacturers and the public 
at large. The process includes thorough consideration of all comments 
and concerns.
  In following the law, the Department of Energy has issued proposed or 
final standards for 24 product categories so far this year. Again, 
these actions are by congressional direction. They just don't pick them 
out of the air. Actually, it is a process of law. These actions result 
in direct energy savings while also improving the reliability and 
performance across household appliances and commercial and industrial 
equipment.
  There is a quote from   Daniel Webster in this House that tells us in 
our time and our generation, may we perform something worthy to be 
remembered. That is a really good quote to think about.
  I think it is safe to assume that virtually all Americans, let alone 
all of the people in this room, have benefited from some of these types 
of efficiency standards over the course of their lifetimes.
  The benefits are real. As a result of the Department of Energy's 
efficiency actions, cost savings for American families and businesses 
are projected to reach nearly $2 trillion by 2030. The Department of 
Energy estimates that this specific rule would slash household utility 
costs by $1.5 billion annually, which is something the American people 
want to do, and save consumers $24.8 billion on their energy bills over 
30 years. That is a big deal.
  Further, if Congress does not like these standards, that should be 
addressed by new laws through the Energy and Commerce Committee, not by 
funding prohibitions. I would suggest to the gentleman, he might want 
to go before that committee.
  Stopping the Department of Energy from finalizing, implementing, or 
enforcing energy efficiency standards will only create uncertainty for 
manufacturers and consumers.

                              {time}  2045

  With respect to the energy efficiency standards for consumer 
furnaces, if my Republican colleagues are concerned about the rule's 
potential to increase costs for homeowners, then I would suggest that 
they should not be seeking in this bill to rescind the Inflation 
Reduction Act funding for home energy efficiency rebates, which will 
help many hardworking Americans afford energy efficient heating units 
that will actually save them money on their utility bills in the long 
term.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Chair, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas has 1\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Chair, I will not be able to say everything I want 
to, but I do want to thank my colleague for correcting me. It is not 
unelected bureaucrats. They are trained unelected bureaucrats. I wanted 
to thank her for that.
  The Department of Energy relies upon modeling techniques within the 
technical support document, or TSD,

[[Page H5100]]

that overstate the calculated climate benefits of reduced emissions in 
order to justify more stringent energy efficiency standards. They did 
the same thing, the same rule, with the gas stoves.
  The gentlewoman said it is not on some whim, Mr. Chairman. In the 
rulemaking, the Department of Energy uses random assignment modeling--
that sounds like close to a whim to me--to guess consumer decisions and 
ignores economic considerations consumers use to make decisions.
  The rule states that EPCA is not fuel neutral. This isn't the case.
  I have a lot more to say, Mr. Chairman, but we are on a 5-minute 
limit time, and it is late at night.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Fallon).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Fallon) having assumed the chair, Mr. Moran, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4394) 
making appropriations for energy and water development and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other 
purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

                          ____________________