Senate Subcommittee Approves FY2016 Interior, Environment Appropriations Bill

Press Release

The FY2016 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill today was given subcommittee approval, the first such markup in six years on legislation to fund the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies on Tuesday approved the measure, making it available for consideration by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Thursday. The Senate bill totals $30.01 billion in discretionary appropriations, excluding $1.05 billion of emergency fire suppression funds.

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill includes funding for the Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Forest Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture), Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services), cultural agencies and other programs.

The Senate measure takes steps to invest in programs that promote responsible resource development on our public lands while funding important environmental programs. The bill provides funding to address backlog construction and maintenance projects for the National Park Service in order to provide for a safe visitor experience. It fully funds contract support costs for the Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs in support of tribal self-determination. The bill also fully funds the 10-year average for firefighting and includes a new budget cap adjustment so that when these funds are exhausted the agency has access to additional resources so they do not have to borrow from other programs to pay for firefighting in severe wildfire seasons.

"I thank my subcommittee colleagues for the time and energy they spent crafting this legislation that balances responsible spending while still producing a bill that reflects the will and priorities of the nation," said U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. "The last time an Interior bill was reported by the Appropriations Committee was six years ago, and this document represents the Senate's return to normal order and marks an important occasion that is long overdue."

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