Rep. Newhouse Statement on House Passage of FY 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

Statement

Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill by a vote of 240 to 170. The Senate must now write and pass an appropriations bill.

"While Congress is still early in the appropriations process, this bill puts priorities like Hanford cleanup, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's missions and Yucca Mountain on a strong path forward," said Rep. Newhouse. "I'm encouraged by the restoration of the President's proposed cut for River Corridor cleanup, and I will continue to advocate for all Hanford projects as this process continues."

The bill passed today also included an amendment introduced by Rep. Newhouse and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ). The Gosar-Newhouse amendment supports water storage projects by preventing any funding from being used to remove any federally-owned or operated dams. Upon passage of the amendment, Rep. Newhouse stated:

"Federal dams are a vital component of the water infrastructure in the West, and they play a pivotal role in water storage, irrigation, and flood control. Federal dams help ensure access to clean water supplies for many rural and agricultural communities in the West -- providing critically important irrigation for countless agriculture operations and millions of acres of farmland. At a time when much of the West is facing a possible 100-year drought, removing these dams would have a devastating impact. This commonsense amendment will help ensure states like Washington are not additionally burdened when contending with mounting water shortages and drastic drought conditions."

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