House rejecting most amendments to energy and water bill

Schiff’s language would increase ARPA-E funding by $20 million, and would take that funding by reducing Department of Energy (DOE) administration funds by the same amount.

In another voice vote, the House accepted language from Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) to increase the non-defense environmental cleanup fund in the bill by $19 million, paid for by cutting the administrative budget.

{mosads}Passage of those amendments meant many other related amendments to boost ARPA-E funding, or increase funding for science or renewable energy programs, were destined to be rejected.

The House also rejected three GOP amendments aimed at cutting speeding beyond the cuts already in the bill. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) proposed eliminating the entire renewable energy development program at DOE in order to save $1.5 billion, but his language was turned away in a 115-300 vote — 115 Republicans supported it, more than the 109 Republicans who opposed it.

Another, from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), would have cut $4.7 million from the renewable energy program and moved it to the deficit reduction account, to reduce a House-approved increase in that account. The House killed this in a 158-256 vote. Broun had another proposal to cut $9.5 million in DOE salaries, and this was defeated by voice.

Other amendments that either failed in a voice vote or were disposed of in other ways were from:

— Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), adding $50 million to solar energy programs and deducting the same amount from the National Nuclear Security Administration. Failed 168-241.

— Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), moving $1 million to the Department of Energy’s energy efficiency program from the department’s administrative funds. Failed 201-213.

— Scott Peters (D-Calif.), moving $10 million to the renewable energy program and reducing the administration account by the same amount. Failed 191-223.

— Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), increasing the renewable energy program by $15 million and cutting weapons activities. Failed 177-238.

— Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), increasing the renewable energy program by $15.5 million and cutting weapons activities. Failed 174-242.

— Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), increasing the renewable energy fund by $145 million by cutting nuclear and fossil energy programs and weapons activities. Killed in a point of order.

— Mark Takano (D-Calif.), increasing funding for the vehicles technology program under the renewable energy program by $20 million, by reducing weapons activities. Failed 164-252.

— Takano, increasing the renewable energy account by $40 million for weatherization assistance, by reducing weapons activities. Failed 166-250.

— Joe Heck (R-Nev.), cutting funding for maintaining the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site by $25 million. Failed 81-335.

— Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), adding $5 million to the non-defense environmental cleanup fund by taking the same amount from the nuclear energy program. Killed in a point of order.

— G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), reducing fossil energy research and weapons activities by $127 million and increasing the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program. Failed 150-266.

— Bill Foster (D-Ill.), boosting science funding by $500 million and cutting weapons activities. Failed 143-273.