Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee's markup of its fiscal year 2021 bill:
I thank Chair McCollum and Ranking Member Joyce for your work on this bill as well as the staff for your efforts to review member requests and craft the product before us.
The Fiscal Year 2021 Interior Appropriations bill would fulfill its obligations to make sound investments to preserve our natural resources, protect Americans from environmental hazards, and meet the challenges of the climate crisis by investing:
* $9.37 billion, an increase of $318 million for EPA, including an increase of $13 million for Superfund;
* $3.2 billion, an increase of $55 million for the National Parks Service; and
* $170 million for both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
EPA’s geographic programs serve to protect the health of the American public as well as our most important ecosystems, which enables both enhanced recreational and business opportunities. When I first came to Congress, I promised to clean up the Long Island Sound. I’m proud to have secured record levels of funding to rehabilitate this precious resource in the Lower Hudson Valley, including $30.4 million in this bill today for the Long Island Sound Regional Program.
I look forward to moving this bill through the Appropriations process.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
