It is unacceptable to provide $700m less for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and Energy Delivery and Reliability than this same subcommittee recommended for these purposes just one year ago.
I would like to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Chairman Rogers. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Kaptur, who has done an excellent job in her first year as Ranking Member of the subcommittee. The bill is funded at $30.4 billion, $2.814 billion less than the FY13 enacted level when adjusted for Sandy reconstruction funding, and $4.06 billion below the request.
I understand that the Chairman tried his best to craft a reasonable bill at this level, prioritizing some of the security programs and the Corps of Engineers water resource programs. But to adequately fund these accounts, deep and severe reductions were required in other important areas of the bill, including $2.1 billion in cuts below the request for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and Energy Delivery and Reliability programs.
That's $700 million less than this same subcommittee recommended for these purposes just one year ago. With global carbon emissions at record highs and extreme weather events caused by global warming happening with increased frequency and deadly force, I see no justification for such drastic cuts to investments in renewable energy that decrease our carbon footprint. I'm also certainly not aware of any drastic decline in the call investments in reliable energy delivery, nor have I heard about a huge drop in state Weatherization needs.
The 81% cut to ARPA-E and 5% cut to the Office of Science from pre-sequester levels will jeopardize our global leadership in developing cutting edge technologies. Our economy will be at a disadvantage to capitalize on the benefits of 21st century discoveries, ceding breakthroughs in areas like clean energy to China.
The Chairman and I have seen the incredible damage wrought by "super storms" like Hurricane Sandy, and I appreciate the Chairman protecting some of the Army Corps of Engineers programs. But I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates we need $3.6 trillion in infrastructure investments by 2020, yet this bill continues a steady decline in the Federal investment in our nation's water resource infrastructure, bringing a total reduction of $769 million since 2010. The Corp's Construction account has been reduced by $688 million in that same timeframe. We should be doing more to build infrastructure and create jobs, not less.
Mr. Chairman, it is my firm hope that the Committee will be provided a workable path forward for the FY14 Appropriations bills. Until that time, I will unfortunately have to vote no on this and any future bills given such insufficient allocations.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
