House appropriators OK cuts to Interior, EPA, other agencies
The House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee passed its bill on a party-line 8-5 vote. The legislation would slash funding for the Interior Department, EPA and other environmental agencies, though not as deeply as proposed by President Donald Trump's budget plan.
Subcommittee Chair Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) noted the legislation has funding for EPA grants that support water infrastructure and reduce air pollution. In addition, it targets several agency rules for the power sector.
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'The bill doubles down on rolling back burdensome and costly regulations from the prior administration, and it helps unleash American energy and domestic mineral development,' Simpson said.
Democrats decried its cuts for national parks as well as to EPA's efforts to combat climate change. The agency would receive $7 billion in fiscal 2026, a 23 percent drop.
'It has become clear to me that the administration has moved beyond climate change denial into actively dismantling the government's climate work,' said ranking member Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).
She added, 'If we are going to keep the public safe, then building resilience and fighting against the impact of climate change is a commonsense measure, yet Republicans have clawed back those funds so that they could give tax breaks to billionaires.'
The GOP reconciliation package, which became law earlier this month, contained several tax cuts and rescinded unobligated dollars for various EPA grant initiatives under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Commerce-Justice-Science
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, is seen Tuesday. | House Appropriations Committee/YouTube
The House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee similarly cleared its bill along party lines, leaving amendments for the full committee markup.
The legislation includes a 6 percent drop for NOAA and a 23 percent reduction for the National Science Foundation compared with current levels.
Subcommittee Chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said 'flooding has inflicted much pain on the nation over the last few months, [from] my district in Kentucky to Texas. Now is the time to ensure the National Weather Service is equipped with the funding it needs to warn and protect our citizens. This bill does just that by appropriately funding NOAA's weather units.'
Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) took issue with the proposed cuts, even though they are smaller than the White House requested.
'Weather forecasts are not waste, fraud and abuse.' DeLauro said. 'And I ask my colleagues, did anyone come to your town halls and complain that the Weather Service has too many meteorologists, too many people issuing advisories, watches and warnings on severe storms? I don't think so.'
State Department, other bills
Also, the House National Security-Department of State Appropriations Subcommittee passed legislation that would cut funding for implementing the Montreal Protocol and prohibit spending on the Paris climate deal and related efforts.
A House-passed rescissions package pending in the Senate would claw back already-appropriated funding to implement the Montreal Protocol.
On Monday, House appropriators advanced their Energy-Water and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development spending bills before a full committee markup Thursday.
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