May 21, 2019

The House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies bill last week by a vote of 31-21.

The bill - which funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior programs, the Department of Energy, and other related agencies - provides $46.4 billion, an increase of $1.8 billion, or 4 percent, above the FY19 enacted level.
Subcommittee Chair Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) said in a statement that the bill "rejects the President’s drastic and short-sighted proposed cuts to key energy and water programs, including a 12% decrease to the Department of Energy, a 31% decrease to the Army Corps of Engineers, and a 28% decrease to the Bureau of Reclamation."

For DOE's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, the bill provides $2.65 billion, an increase of $273 million above the current year level and $2.3 billion above the Trump administration's budget request. More . . .


Washington Examiner
May 15, 2019

A landmark House Ways and Means Committee hearing Wednesday, the first focused on climate change in a dozen years, illuminated the gulf between Democrats and Republicans.

Republicans have undergone a shift in recent months in saying that climate change is a problem worth addressing. But Republican committee members threw cold water on a carbon tax, a measure many climate hawks and economists view as essential. More . . .


Roll Call
May 17, 2019

Senate Finance Chairman Charles E. Grassley announced the creation of five task forces charged with delving into what to do about 42 myriad tax breaks that continually get turned on and off by Congress, including energy effiiciency incentives.

The joint announcement by the Iowa Republican and Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden , the committee’s ranking member, comes 16 and a half months after 26 tax “extenders” expired at the end of 2017. Grassley said the task force is charged with coming up with solutions by the end of June, including whether to consolidate or change certain provisions, make them permanent or allow them to lapse. More . . .


Washington Examiner
May 15, 2019

House Democrats in the energy committee released an infrastructure bill on Wednesday focused on combating climate change that would dedicate tens of billions of dollars to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

More than $33 billion would go to clean energy, including $8 billion for grid upgrades to accommodate and expand the use of more renewable energy. More than $2 billion would be used to install solar panels in low-income and underserved neighborhoods and communities.

The bill, the LIFT America Act, also includes $23 billion to make energy efficiency improvements in homes, schools, and other buildings to ensure they produce less greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The money will also be used to fund the "nationwide deployment" of cleaner fuels that can be used to heat homes and businesses. More . . .


NEW IN CONGRESS

Sponsor: Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX)
Introduced: May 15, 2019


Sponsor: Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Introduced: May 15, 2019


Sponsor: Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA)
Introduced: May 10, 2019


Sponsor: Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)
Introduced: May 10, 2019


Sponsor: Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL
Latest Action: Forwarded to full committee by subcommittee on voice vote, May 16, 2019


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