[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 7 (Friday, January 9, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E20]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE; ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT; AND INTERIOR 
                AND ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 8, 2026

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the FY2026 Energy and 
Water Development Appropriations bill, division B of H.R. 6938. This 
bipartisan agreement protects funding for Democratic priorities, 
reasserts Congress's power of the purse, and rejects Republicans' 
poison pill riders.
  Due to the perseverance of my colleagues, Ranking Members DeLauro and 
Kaptur, the legislation before us today provides a critical $2.4 
billion increase over FY2025 to address rising energy costs for 
American families, strengthen our water infrastructure, and improve 
climate resilience.
  This bill represents a stark contrast to the dangerous proposal that 
passed the House in September. House Republicans previously advanced 
H.R. 4553, a fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water bill that would have 
devastated Minnesota families, Minnesota's clean energy economy, and 
advanced President Trump's attacks on clean energy. I voted against 
that harmful legislation, which would have raised energy costs and 
weakened our national security.
  The contrast is especially stark when it comes to programs that help 
vulnerable Minnesotans. Last year, House Republicans voted for a 44 
percent cut to the Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps low-
income households lower their utility bills by improving home energy 
efficiency. Thankfully, the bill before us today provides more than $3 
million for this program which will help roughly 1,200 Minnesotans 
weatherize their homes each year, saving families about $372 annually 
on their energy bills.
  Our global competitors like China are investing hundreds of billions 
of dollars in clean-energy development. We must do the same. The bill 
before us today makes the United States competitive by investing $3 
billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at the 
Department of Energy, rejecting President Trump and Congressional 
Republicans' crusade on clean energy.
  As more than 62,000 Minnesotans work in clean energy, I am glad to 
see that this bill protects Minnesota's clean energy economy. The clean 
energy sector in Minnesota has been growing five times faster than 
Minnesota's overall job growth and Federal investments in clean energy 
and energy efficiency will directly support these good-paying jobs.
  Since taking office, Trump has been jeopardizing clean-energy jobs in 
Minnesota by terminating clean-energy incentives in his so-called ``One 
Big Beautiful Bill,'' canceling grants, and illegally withholding funds 
from state, local and tribal governments. These actions are stalling 
clean-energy projects and eliminating high-wage jobs.
  We cannot afford to abandon these investments during a worsening 
climate crisis. American families are already struggling with high 
energy bills. But the need to develop our own homegrown clean and 
sustainable energy isn't just a matter of economic security; it's also 
about our national security.
  The Department of Defense considers climate change to be a top 
national security concern. Climate change is making nations around the 
world more unstable and less safe. It's also hurting our military 
readiness here at home, with sea-level rise and extreme weather 
flooding our bases. Permafrost thaw is making Alaskan runways unusable. 
Radar stations are at risk of falling into the sea.
  America can, and must, meet the new age frontiers of energy and 
water, and invest in our workers, protect our water, and power our 
future. I thank my colleagues for their overwhelming bipartisan support 
for this bill, and I urge the Senate to move with haste to get this 
legislation to the President's desk to be signed into law.
  We don't have the luxury of ignoring the very real effects of climate 
change happening around us--especially when they're affecting our lives 
and livelihoods and our national security. Future generations will pay 
the highest costs if we fail to act.
  As your representative, I will continue to fight for these critical 
investments because Minnesotans deserve better. Our children and 
grandchildren deserve better.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan agreement.

                          ____________________