Newhouse Statement on House Approval of Funding for Hanford, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Statement
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statements on House passage of the "minibus," Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5895, Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. The Senate approved the conference legislation earlier this week.
"This vital legislation provides funds for our national defense and for the needs of our veterans," said Rep Newhouse. "It keeps Hanford cleanup on strong footing, ensuring that the federal government continues its legal and moral obligation to the people of the Mid-Columbia. The minibus funds programs at our National Labs, and while the Senate provided a smaller number than the House for Energy Sciences Capability construction, this bill provides necessary resources for researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory."
"Despite the many benefits of fully-functioning dams on the Lower Snake River and science that shows increased dam spill actually harms juvenile salmon, I am disappointed that the Senate failed to keep House-approved language I worked on to end the unnecessary spill order. Imposed by a single federal judge, who substituted his own opinion over the collaborative scientific expertise of a multitude of stakeholders who agreed to the 2014 Biological Opinion governing dam operations, the spill order increases costs while harming salmon. The federal government is responsible for effective management of the Federal Columbia River Power System, on which the livelihoods of so many Mid-Columbia residents depend, and the harmful ad hoc decision by a judge demands action by Congress. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to address the damaging spill in order to keep our dams functioning effectively. I am pleased that the conference report expressed grave concerns, which I share, about this judicial interference that has no scientific backing and threatens the reliability of the federal power and transmission systems. The conference report also makes clear that no funds for federal dam removal are included in this act."
Source