Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendments to H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and in opposition to the underlying bill.

The bill itself cuts over $750 million from the FY25 spending levels, revokes $5 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, zeroes out Army Corps programs that clean up radioactive waste and blocks clean energy initiatives. My four amendments support essential funding for our National Labs and our continued goal to restore the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, three of my amendments support the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility and the High Performance Data Facility at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, commonly known as JLab, in Newport News, Virginia, and my fourth amendment supports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' ongoing oyster restoration work in the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, only one of these amendments will be considered on the floor.

My first amendment No. 41, included in the bipartisan en bloc, highlights the importance of an optimal runtime for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility, or CEBAF. CEBAF is a world-leading facility studying the inner properties of nuclei, such as the quark and gluon structure of protons and neutrons. The research conducted at this facility has vastly improved our understanding of the fundamental make- up of matter and is actively supporting collaborative research globally in medium energy physics. Currently, numerous PhD students and researchers are waiting to use the facility for experiments, and the backlog continues to grow as more scientists hope to use this critical technology. To meet the research needs and to optimize the use of this facility, CEBAF requires an additional $11 million to operate for an optimal runtime of 34 weeks. The current level included in the bill seriously underfunds CEBAFs operations. A funding level of $166 million for CEBAF operations should be included in the final legislation.

My second amendment No. 42, emphasizes the need for funding critically needed infrastructure improvements at CEBAF. The workforce at JLab is rapidly growing with the increased use of CEBAF and the installation of the Department of Energy's High Performance Data Facility. For JLab to effectively support its employees and researchers, the lab needs increased funding to build a modern workspace to match the research conducted at this facility. The final appropriations bill should include $38 million for JLab to update its CEBAF infrastructure.

My third amendment No. 44, highlights the importance of the planning and construction of the High Performance Data Facility. The High Performance Data Facility will serve as a state-of-the-art computing facility supporting the Department of Energy's Office of Science Scientific User facilities. In collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, this project will address the forthcoming increased volume of data that will need to be processed in real time and ensure researchers have the ability to manage large quantities of data reliably and efficiently. As a result of lower than anticipated funding in fiscal year 2025, this project, which will serve the rapidly growing data infrastructure needs across the National Labs, requires additional funding and support. The final appropriations bill should include at least $25 million to ensure that the High Performance Data Facility is completed by 2030.

My fourth amendment No. 39 emphasizes the important work being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create new oyster habitats in the Chesapeake Bay. Oysters' natural ability to filter pollutants out of water make them an ideal partner in cleaning our Bay. The Corps serves as the lead agency for this endeavor and providing them with the necessary resources to continue growing the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay will enable us to meet our water quality goals. The final appropriations bill should include $7.5 million for the Corps' oyster restoration work.

I would like to thank Representatives Robert Wittman and Jennifer Kiggans for cosponsoring my amendments supporting JLab, and I would like to thank Representatives Robert Wittman and Sarah Elfreth for cosponsoring my amendment supporting oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay. While I was glad to see the inclusion of my first amendment to the bipartisan en bloc, the underlying bill does not adequately fund the important work being conducted at our national labs and by the Army Corps of Engineers. This bill abandons critical research in science, diminishes the importance of clean energy, and weakens the government's ability to restore and conserve our environment. For that reason, I oppose passage of this legislation.

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