Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I share some of my distinguished colleague's concerns about EERE, but let me, for the record, lay some things out.

I am a strong supporter of EERE. EERE received over $16 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, of which there were billions in unobligated balances remaining. In other words, they got a ton of money in these big largesse bills that were passed by the last administration. They got $16 billion, and they can't spend it all.

That is why, in the House bill, we have reduced funding to EERE by $1.6 billion below the fiscal 2025 level. They had money they couldn't even get to spend.

Again, I am a strong, strong supporter of EERE. I have seen the work they do. They do a tremendous job, but they got all of that money in those largesse spending bills. This reduces EERE spending to 2013 levels.

I respectfully think my colleague's amendment goes too far in eliminating this program. Again, things that EERE does well: geothermal technologies, advanced manufacturing, and industrial efficiency improvements.

It also includes essential work on critical materials that will lay out the groundwork for technologies that will reduce our reliance on foreign supplies.

I think EERE is an issue that we all can support. The reductions are there. I think this strikes a very good balance.

For these reasons, I must respectfully oppose my colleague's motion.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, while I commend my colleague and friend, who actually was elected in that great class of 2010 with me--I remember that year vividly--I thank him for his motion, and I applaud his dedication to fiscal conservatism. However, with all due respect to my colleague, this amendment undermines the full bill's central aim to promote national security, energy security, and economic prosperity.

Reducing this bill by $37 billion, or by 65 percent, will make America less safe, less secure, and less prosperous, in my view.

The amendment includes a $16 billion cut to defense funding. Again, for my colleagues and for those watching, it is in the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill that we fund the National Nuclear Security Administration. This is our country's nuclear weapons activities. This would be cut by almost $9 billion, roughly 50 percent, causing, in my view, irreparable harm to our Nation's nuclear deterrent by halting critical weapons and modernization programs.

This amendment would also reduce naval reactors by over $1 billion, again, almost a 50 percent reduction of the account, creating cascading impacts to America's most lethal and capable naval assets, our submarines and aircraft carriers. These are only but two examples of the 54 account reductions proposed by the amendment.

For these reasons, I respectfully must oppose the amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source