Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Floor Speech
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. 4553 and that I may include tabular material on the same.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to bring the fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development bill to the floor today.
I begin by thanking my good friend and Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur for her partnership throughout this process. I realize we have some bona fide differences and issues on this bill, but we always have very cordial discussions. I do appreciate her very much.
Mr. Chairman, this bill provides a total of $57.3 billion to safeguard the United States' national security, strengthen our economy, and unleash American energy dominance.
The bill delivers strong support for our national defense and provides $25.3 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration prioritizing and continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the United States Navy nuclear fleet.
The bill strengthens our Nation's energy security by advancing American leadership in deploying new nuclear technologies and supporting the administration's efforts to make full use of our Nation's vast fossil fuel resources.
This bill will reduce reliance on foreign materials and secure the full supply chain of critical minerals.
The bill furthers our Nation's scientific and technological leadership, providing $8.4 billion for the Department of Energy's Office of Science.
At the same time, the bill reduces funding by 25 percent across numerous other department programs, including the applied energy technology offices, to ensure taxpayer resources are focused on the highest priority research and development projects.
The bill also strengthens our economy and promotes public safety providing $9.9 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, including full funding of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund activities and the highest priority ongoing construction projects on the inland waterways system. Funding for the Bureau of Reclamation is prioritized to projects that increase water supply and support drought resilience.
Finally, the bill provides a number of provisions to codify President Trump's executive actions to protect American values and prevent our resources and intellectual properties from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries.
This legislation reflects a clear commitment to fiscal responsibility while safeguarding our national security and increasing economic prosperity for all of our citizens.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), my friend.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member and the Members who have spoken on this bill.
In closing, I urge strong support of this great bill. This bill helps all of America regain energy dominance. It fulfills the great agenda that President Trump has set out not only for nuclear but for energy. It is a bill that helps all Americans with community projects for both Republican and Democratic districts. It reaches out and does great things for energy, for water, for the Bureau of Reclamation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 672, I offer amendments en bloc as designee of Chairman Cole.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, this bipartisan en bloc amendment was developed in coordination with the minority. It contains noncontroversial amendments addressing important issues at agencies funded in this bill. These amendments have been agreed to by both sides.
Mr. Chair, I respectfully support its adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Taylor), my friend.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), my friend and also the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Arkansas.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins), my friend.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the great State of Texas (Mr. Arrington), the chairman of the House Budget Committee and my dear friend.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), who also is the vice chairman of this Appropriations subcommittee.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, my colleague's amendment would eliminate the Advanced Research Projects Agency, or ARPA-E.
ARPA-E's mission is to fund projects that are not yet addressed in the private sector but can bring about a transformational shift in current energy technologies.
Nearly 75 percent of ARPA-E awards go to small businesses and academia. ARPA-E projects have led to over 1,200 patents being issued and have attracted more than $14 billion in followup funding from the private sector. I have actually witnessed this with many companies, Mr. Chair, and this has been a very successful program.
Perhaps to ease my colleague's concerns and his great desire to reduce funding, the bill already includes a 24 percent reduction from fiscal year 2025 to ARPA-E funding. Therefore, I must respectfully oppose the amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Madam Chair, this amendment would effectively eliminate the administrative expenses for the loan guarantee program.
That would do two things: First, it would prevent any new loans for nuclear projects. Second, it would remove the Department's ability-- this is very important--to conduct oversight for the existing loan portfolio. That is moneys that have already been loaned.
As the Chair may know and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle know, I am a champion for nuclear energy in this great Nation of ours, and I am so proud of the way that we are moving forward. This program is so critically important to the development of our new nuclear technologies.
The administration is counting on the Department's loan programs to revitalize the nuclear industry and deliver advanced reactors to the electric grid for years to come.
Nuclear energy represents our best option to meet our energy demands for the future in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective way. This loan program will be an important part of that strategy.
In addition, eliminating the loan program's administrative expenses would jeopardize the government's ability, again, to receive loan payments and ensure the financial health of the existing portfolio. We must ensure proper oversight of taxpayer funding.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Fleischmann) having assumed the chair, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4553) making appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.
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