Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer my support for this year's Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act.

Mr. Chair, I will talk about Texas for just a minute. The Texas Gulf Coast boasts 23 commercial seaports, 7 of America's largest petroleum refineries, 3 LNG plants, and 60 percent of the Nation's strategic petroleum reserve.

As the energy capital of the world, we understand the critical importance of this very important, very good bill. Our hardworking families on the Texas Gulf Coast depend on a robust energy sector, as do most Americans. Even other countries depend on our energy sector.

This legislation, Mr. Chairman, will help us to continue to lead in producing the cleanest, most affordable oil, as well as gas. Many of the projects within this bill will advance many of President Trump's goals. It is working. He is making progress. We are making progress. His goal is to advance returning to an era of American energy independence.

Let me repeat that. America will be, once again, energy independent.

We will be revitalizing critical ports. We will be revitalizing the waterways that serve, actually, as a lifeblood for maintaining our dominance in the global marketplace. It is just that simple, Mr. Chairman.

This great Energy and Water Development appropriations bill, let me tell you what it will do. It will bolster our economic strength. It will bolster our economic strength, which suffered the last 4 years, under the current administration. It will create jobs. It will create jobs that are much needed by Americans.

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Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Chair, this is going to create jobs, not just for Texas but for the entire Nation.

The gentleman across the aisle just mentioned Iran, that somehow this is going to help make it easier for Iran in the nuclear realm.

I think Iran just discovered that President Donald J. Trump is serious when he says they will not be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. I think they probably figured that out by now.

Mr. Chair, I will end by saying kudos to the Energy and Water appropriations bill under this committee. We appreciate the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Mr. Chair, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill as we continue along the path of making America great once again.

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