House Passes FY15 Energy and Water Bill
National Waterways Conference News Alert
11 July 2014
After two days of sometimes contentious debate, amid the threat of
a Presidential veto, the House of Representatives passed its FY 15
energy and water spending bill. The $34 billion measure to fund
the Department of Energy, the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of
Reclamation passed by a vote of 253-170.
The bill would fund the Corps’ civil works program at about $5.5
billion, with roughly $115 million in investigations, $1.7 billion
in construction, $260 million for the Mississippi River and
Tributaries, $2.9 billion for operation and maintenance, $200
million for regulatory and $2 million for the Assistant
Secretary’s office.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s water and related resources account
would receive $860 million.
Numerous amendments were adopted to increase the civil works
funding level, including two to increase the construction account
by $500,000 and $1,000,000, intended to support, respectively,
small flood control projects and reduce the construction
backlog. In addition, the O&M account was increased by
$57.6 million on an amendment by Rep. Hahn (D-CA) intended to
bolster the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund which garnered 281 votes
in
support.
A pair of successful amendments by Rep. Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
prohibit funding for the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study
and for an environmental study under the Missouri River Fish and
Wildlife Recovery Program.
Another amendment drawing the ire of the Administration prohibits
funding for the President’s climate change agenda, including a
report on the social cost of carbon.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s Water and Related Resources account
was increased by $10 million on an amendment by Rep. Noem
(R-SD).
A full list of the amendments that were adopted is attached for
your reference.
Senate action on its version of the energy and water bill remains
uncertain. That bill was yanked from consideration last
month amid concerns about amendments, and it appears stalled
indefinitely. It appears all but certain that a continuing
resolution will fund the government when the fiscal year begins
October 1, at least until after the November
elections.
National Waterways Conference, Inc.
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