Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2015 and Environment Bill
Press Release
The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill on a vote of 29-19. The legislation includes funding for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, and various independent and related agencies.
In total, the bill includes $30.2 billion in base funding, an increase of $162 million above the fiscal year 2014 enacted level and a reduction of $409 million below the President's request. This includes a one-time payment of $442 million for "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" (PILT) -- which provides funds to local communities with large areas of federal land to help offset losses in property taxes -- and $4.1 billion to prevent and combat devastating wildland fires. In addition, the legislation also includes policy provisions to stop unnecessary, job-killing regulations by federal agencies such as the EPA.
"This bill will ensure the proper management of the nation's vast natural resources, invest in programs for the well-being of our local communities, and help prevent and fight the wildland fires that cause millions of dollars in damages every year, all while keeping a close eye on the spending of each and every tax dollar," House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said. "In addition, this legislation contains important provisions to rein in the harmful regulatory overreach of federal bureaucracies that will unnecessarily cause job loss and that will weaken our recovering economy."
Interior Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert also commented on the bill.
"The Interior and Environment bill provides the agencies within its jurisdiction with the resources necessary to carry out their mission in times that are fiscally challenging," said Chairman Calvert. "This bill also protects Americans from the onslaught of job-killing regulations coming from the EPA, and makes difficult decisions to carefully balance national priorities. I am pleased that our Subcommittee continues to place an emphasis on producing energy on federal lands, providing robust funding for our wildland fire accounts, and addressing a variety of health, education, and safety needs within Indian Country."
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