The Senate Committee on Appropriations released a committee report to accompany their Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill on August 1. Committee reports allow legislators to make their views on funding levels public at a time when the Senate appropriations process has come to a halt, and it is unclear whether specific appropriations bills will be voted on in committee and on the Senate floor.

The House Appropriations Committee passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year (FY) 2015 on July 15. The $30.2 billion bill would fund the Department of the Interior and appropriates $1.035 billion for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The Department of the Interior (DOI) released their fifth annual economic report on July 11. The report finds that DOI contributed $360 billion to the U.S. economy and supported about 2 million jobs in fiscal year (FY) 2013.

Witnesses:
Bud Cribley
Alaska State Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior
Cathy Foerster
Chair, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Charisse Millett
Alaska House of Representatives

Committee Members Present:
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chairman
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member
Joe Manchin (D-WV)

Witnesses:
  Sally Jewell 
  Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior

Witness:
The Honorable Sally Jewell
Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior

Witness:
Sally Jewell
Nominee for the Position of Secretary of the Interior