Chair Castor Applauds Investments In Climate Solutions In Government Funding Bills

WASHINGTON (July 31, 2020) - As the House of Representatives passed the second FY 2021 minibus appropriations bill on Friday, Chair Kathy Castor of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis highlighted the important investments in climate solutions included in the legislation. 
  
"Once again, House Democrats are demonstrating the leadership and commitment needed to protect our communities and solve the climate crisis," said Chair Castor. "From investing in scientific research and energy innovation, to boosting funding for transit and infrastructure, my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee made sure taxpayer dollars will help communities across America become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. This funding will also help us mitigate the costly effects the climate crisis has on our nation, especially on vulnerable communities."

The minibus package (H.R. 7617) includes $12 billion across Department of Energy programs to support clean, affordable, and secure energy. The legislation totals $1.3 trillion in discretionary funding, and consists of six FY 2021 appropriations bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Service and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development.

Below are some of the investments made in H.R. 7617 to protect American communities, invest in science, and start solving the climate crisis:

Energy and Water Development

• $2.85 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), an increase of $2.1 billion above Trump’s request, supporting the development of clean, affordable, and secure energy;
• $435 million for Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), rejecting Trump’s proposal to eliminate the program, supporting research on transformational energy technologies to address critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges;
• $7.05 billion for Office of Science, funding basic science research to secure the nation’s global leadership in energy innovation and expand scientific understanding;
• $1.44 billion for Nuclear Energy, supporting the development of next generation nuclear reactors and improving the safety and economic viability of the current reactor fleet;
• $355 million for electric grid research and development, helping to secure and modernize the nation’s electric grid;
• $20.3 billion in emergency funding for science and energy infrastructure investments to prepare for a clean energy future.

Commerce-Justice-Science

• $5.45 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an increase of $101.9 million above the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $8.55 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), an increase of $270 million above the FY 2020 enacted level.

Transportation-Housing

• $500 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, an increase of $175 million above the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $200 million for Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair, equal to the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $2.05 billion for Amtrak, an increase of $50 million above the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $18.9 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, including $2.2 billion for Capital Investment Grants, an increase of $197 million above the FY 2020 enacted level, and $510 million for Transit Infrastructure Grants, equal to the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $1.2 billion for the Maritime Administration, including $300 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, an increase of $75 million above the FY 2020 enacted level; 
• $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, an increase of $100 million above the FY 2020 enacted level;
• $1.7 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, an increase of $350 million above the FY 2020 enacted level.

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