Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Chair, I thank Chair DeLauro very much for her indefatigable leadership of this committee in service to the American people. I also thank Ranking Member Granger, as well as the dedicated staff. Special plaudits to Ranking Member Simpson, a hardworking, serious Member of Congress who devotes his considerable talents to real challenges facing our Nation.
Our 2023 Energy and Water bill takes a significant step forward to secure American energy independence, rebuild critical infrastructure, foster scientific innovation, and sustain life on our corner of Mother Earth.
We meet at a time when Lake Mead, once the largest water reservoir in the United States, is now at record-low levels due to a punishing Western drought across seven States that is sucking the Colorado River dry. London, England, has experienced its hottest day at 104 degrees, and forest fires are raging now across Europe and in our Nation, as well.
Madam Chair, 6,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel are containing 85 large fires and complexes that have already burned over 3 million acres in 13 of our States. Fourteen new large fires have been reported, seven in Texas, two in Alaska, two in Washington, and one each in Arizona, California, and Idaho.
In addition, Putin's unjust war against Ukraine crystalizes how essential having a comprehensive energy independence strategy is for our Nation, for our economy, and surely for our security.
America has been making great progress since the Department of Energy was established in 1977, but we are not at home plate in energy independence. With this bill, we are rounding second base and running hard toward third on our way to home plate. We are diversifying across many energy sectors that hold promise and are climate-friendly: advanced nuclear, hydrogen, solar, and wind, but also thermal heat recapture, conservation, and so much more.
In traditional sectors since 2010, oil production has doubled, and natural gas production is about 60 percent higher. But, of course, those supplies are finite. We must advance to infinite energy sources for the long haul of our country and world.
Our bill invests over $56 billion for America's energy and water priorities while supporting good-paying jobs across the country. Key investments include $48.2 billion for the Department of Energy, $3.3 billion above enacted. Within the Department of Energy, as our citizens experience water shortages, wildfires, and fiercer weather events, energy efficiency and renewable energy receive record funding of $4 billion--yes, an $800 million increase above enacted. We live in unusual times.
That includes a new office of State and community energy programs that receives $562 million to increase energy affordability at a time of inflation and transform our energy economy by working more cooperatively with State, local, and community-level partners.
ARPA-E receives $550 million, $100 million above enacted, to literally invent a new energy future for this country.
The Office of Science receives $8 billion, $525 million above enacted, which is so vital to America's energy innovation and research in the physical sciences.
The new Defense Production Act Domestic Clean Energy Accelerator receives $100 million to expand domestic manufacturing and help America lead in solar and other clean energy industries that are being hacked every day by, frankly, our political enemies.
We responsibly fund our nuclear deterrent while increasing funding for nonproliferation programs.
The bill provides nearly $11 billion, $2.8 billion above the budget request, to rebuild our water infrastructure and respond to the severe Western drought.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source