Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
may 2015
The Monthly Review is part of a continuing effort to improve communications about the role of geoscience in policy.
Current and archived monthly reviews are available online.Subscribe to receive the Monthly Review directly.
budget
House approves FY 2016 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill
May 1, 2015
On May 1, the House passed a $34.5 billion Energy and Water spending bill by a vote of 240-177, largely along party lines. The “Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act” (H.R. 2028) includes a $1.2 billion increase in funding for the Department of Energy (DOE), the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and other related agencies in fiscal year (FY) 2016. The funding legislation fell $633 million short of the Obama Administration’s proposed budget.
The bill allocates $10.3 billion for DOE’s science and energy programs, including a $34 million increase to fund nuclear and fossil fuel research, but cuts clean energy funding by $279 million compared to FY 2015 levels. An additional $150 million would be appropriated to reopen the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site. The bill also contains language that bars USACE from implementing the new “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule, regulations currently being finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the number of streams and wetlands listed under the Clean Water Act.
Democrats in the House largely opposed the bill, but failed to pass any amendments regarding the WOTUS rule and clean energy funding; the White House has threatened to veto the bill. Nevada Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), expressed their discontent with the “deeply flawed” Yucca Mountain project in their state. The Senate is in the process of drafting their own bill regarding energy and water spending.
Sources: Congress.gov, E&E News, EPA
House Appropriations Committee passes CJS FY 2016 spending bill with cuts to NOAA and NASA programs
May 20, 2015
The House Appropriations Committee passed the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) spending bill for fiscal year (FY) 2016 by voice vote on May 20. The bill would cut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) budget by $274 million and take additional funding from Earth science programs in NASA to go toward space exploration-focused programs.
The bill includes funding for NASA space exploration and the Administration’s new BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative, fields that Chairman John Culberson (R-TX) deemed “critically relevant” to the nation’s interests.
Democratic Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), David Price (D-NC), Sam Farr (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Mike Honda (D-CA) offered five amendments reversing cuts to NOAA. None passed, and only Rep. Lee’s and Rep. Price’s amendments were voted on; the three other amendments were withdrawn. Culberson generally acknowledged the need for amendments that would restore NOAA funding to current levels, but argued that the amendments did not include an offset of funds and therefore could not be considered if members wanted the bill to pass the House floor.
Sources: E&E News, Appropriations Committee
House spending bill cuts NSF funding to Geoscience Directorate
May 20, 2015
On May 20, the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill with language setting directorate-level funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), a change from current agency-level funding. Although the bill provides a $50 million increase in funding for NSF overall, opponents to the bill dislike the directorate-specific cuts to the NSF Geosciences (GEO) and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorates.
In an effort by the committee to emphasize fields considered “critically relevant” to the nation’s interests, $257 million have been cut from GEO and SBE and placed in the budgets of NSF’s Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematical and Physical Science Directorates.
The FY 2016 funding mark fell $329.3 million below the Administration’s requested level and received criticism from many Democrats on the House floor, who felt the directorate funding levels were “disappointing.” Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) pointed out that congressional reach into NSF directorates was “universally opposed across the scientific community.”
Chairman John Culberson (R-TX) recognized the need for additional funding to the GEO and SBE directorates but emphasized the need to prioritize “critical activities,” especially under current sequestration levels. The bill passed the full Committee by voice vote.
Sources: E&E News, Appropriations Committee
Senate Appropriations Committee approves FY 2016 Energy and Water bill
May 21, 2015
The Senate Appropriations Committee met on May 21 to mark up the fiscal year (FY) 2016 energy and water development funding bill. The bill that passed the committee totals $35.4 billion, $1.2 billion above the FY 2015 enacted level and $668 million below the President’s request, and funds the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Energy (DOE). Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) presented the budget that passed the committee, which sets budget levels back to 2010 levels. Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D- MD) offered her own version of the bill that would have set funding at the Administration requested levels; her version was rejected in a party-line vote.
Citing the need to retain economic and technological superiority, Sen. Dick Durbin (D – IL) pointed out that the 1.4 percent budget increase to the DOE Office of Science was actually a smaller increase due to inflation, and that such a small increase squandered America’s technological leadership. Democratic committee members stressed that defense spending accounted for the majority of budget increases, with only an $8 million increase allocated for non-defense spending.
On May 1 the House of Representatives passed appropriations for the same agencies at the same $35.4 billion level. These bills may fund specific agencies differently, the total appropriations coming from the House and Senate are equivalent.
Source: House Appropriations Committee, Senate Appropriations Committee
Updated June, 6 2015
Senate Appropriations Committee finalizes Interior, Environment spending levels for FY 2016
May 21, 2015
On May 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee allocated $30.01 billion to the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies to cover funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The FY2015 USGS appropriation was $1.045 billion, The funding levels approved by the Appropriations Committee represent a $400 million cut below FY 2015 enacted levels and $160 million less than the funding passed by the House in April. The Subcommittee will consider how to divide the $30.1 billion between the agencies and organizations under their jurisdiction.
The Obama Administration proposed a budget with higher spending levels across the board.
Source: E&E News
Updated June 9, 2015