House committee increases funding for Department of Energy

The draft fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill includes $37.1 billion for the Department of Energy, an increase of $1.4 billion above the fiscal year 2019 level.

Further, the proposed funding, developed by the House Appropriations Committee, is $5.6 billion above the President’s budget request. The committee held a hearing this week to discuss the total funding package, which funds the DOE, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior programs, the Department of Energy, and other related agencies.

“Funding innovative programs at the Department of Energy and the jobs that comes from them, shoring up our energy and water infrastructure to bolster trade, and promoting a comprehensive approach to the challenges of one of our most precious resources, fresh water, have been among my highest priorities as Chairwoman,” Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, said. “This bill makes critical investments toward combating climate change, strengthening our nation’s water infrastructure, responsibly funding our nuclear deterrent, and providing robust funding to help ensure low-income households across the country have energy-efficient and more livable homes. This bill ensures a credible nuclear deterrent and increases funding for nuclear nonproliferation programs. This bill rejects the President’s drastic, short-sighted cuts across the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation – all of which contribute to our nation’s economic prosperity.”

The proposed funding package includes $150 million for cybersecurity, energy security, and emergency response, an increase of $30 million. It also includes $200 million, an increase of $44 million, to advance technologies to increase the resiliency and efficiency of the nation’s electricity delivery system with capabilities to incorporate growing amounts of clean energy technologies.

It also includes $2.65 billion, an increase of $273 million, to fund clean energy programs and initiatives. It is $2.3 billion higher than the president’s funding request.

Additionally, it provides $1.3 billion, an increase of $494 million over the request, for research related to clean and safe nuclear reactors. Also, $740 million was set aside for research and development towards environmentally sound use of fossil energy resources.

And, $6.87 billion, an increase of $285 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $1.3 billion above the request, has been earmarked for the Office of Science. This funds research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other disciplines to expand scientific understanding and foster energy innovation.