Hamilton Reporter

Washington, DC – House Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement after the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

“My first bill as Chairman of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies subcommittee makes historic investments modernizing our nation's nuclear deterrent, water infrastructure projects nationwide, scientific research, and long-term energy independence. Since becoming Chairman, I’ve vowed to craft a responsible Energy and Water Appropriations bill that meets our nation’s urgent needs while cutting wasteful and inflationary government spending,” said Rep. Fleischmann. “We are clawing back billions in unnecessary federal spending while delivering to strengthen our nation’s security, keep America the world leader in scientific research, and modernize infrastructure projects nationwide.”“I want to thank our full committee Chairwoman Kay Granger for her support in crafting this bill and all my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee. I look forward to passing this bill on the House Floor.”

Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Bill

• Supports a strong national security by:
  • Providing $19.114 billion for the continued modernization of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure;
  • Providing $1.946 billion for Naval Reactors to support the operational nuclear fleet, Columbia-class submarine reactor development, and research and development for current and future generations of nuclear-powered warships; and
  • Providing $2.38 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear devices, radiological dispersal devices, weapons-usable material, and nuclear expertise.
• Prioritizes energy security and economic competitiveness by:
  • Supporting domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, including high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) availability, which is essential to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign uranium sources to power current and future commercial nuclear reactors;
  • Advancing small modular reactor and advanced reactor demonstration projects;
  • Providing more than $200 million for the production of critical minerals;
  • Requiring funds to be used by the Department of Energy (DOE) in a manner consistent with the research security provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act;
  • Prohibiting oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be sold to any entity owned by or under the control or influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or to any other entity that intends to export to China; and
  • Investing in construction, operation, and maintenance of our nation’s ports and inland waterways to ensure goods can be moved safely to and from global markets.
• Reins in wasteful Washington spending by:
  • Rescinding $5.58 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

A summary of the bill is available here.

Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann’s opening remarks are available here.

Chairwoman Kay Granger’s opening remarks are available here.

Bill text is available here.

Bill report, before adoption of amendments in Full Committee, is available here.

A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here.

Original source can be found here.