Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Floor Speech

The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2354) making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes:

* Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Chair, I would like to express my appreciation to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee for the work they and the subcommittee staff have done in developing the FY12 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.

* It is impossible to make everyone happy when the fiscal reality requires reductions, but at a time when we borrow 40 cents for every dollar we spend we need to be willing to set priorities and make difficult decisions.

* The bill before us makes responsible investments in energy research and development and it funds critical waterway infrastructure improvements, but it does it in a responsible and sustainable manner. One of the lessons that we all should have learned over the past several years is that it is in nobody's interest to expand budgets at an unsustainable rate. We are now faced with the unpleasant task of trimming back the budget to remove the excesses of the past several years so that we can get back to a responsible baseline.

* The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee has always worked in a bipartisan basis to address the energy and infrastructure challenges facing our nation, and I believe that this product is better for the cooperative and problem-solving approach of both the staff and subcommittee members. It is an honor for me to be able to serve on this subcommittee, and I am pleased to be able to support this bill.

* I would also like to speak directly to the Administration and NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko. I'm deeply concerned that Chairman Jaczko has allowed politics to influence the NRC's decisions, and in my opinion, in order to restore public confidence in the NRC, the Chairman should step aside. Absent that, the President and Chairman Jaczko should take note that the bill we are passing contains funding to continue with the Yucca Mountain repository and the associated licensing activities in the NRC.

* Congress is making a statement here: continuing funding of Yucca is the fiscally responsible thing to do to prevent billions of dollars in future liability and to ensure that the $15 billion already invested has not been wasted.

* Again, I want to express my appreciation for Chairman Frelinghuysen, Ranking Member Visclosky, and the subcommittee staff for the fine work they have done this year.

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