FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2016CONTACTS: Chris Gallegos (202) 224-6414
Stephen Worley (202) 224-3751
Twitter: @SenThadCochran

SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES FY2017 ENERGY & WATERDEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILLWASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water
Development, and Related Agencies today approved a $37.5 billion measure to fund U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) programs and critical infrastructure projects administered by theArmy Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation.
The FY2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, scheduled to beconsidered by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, represents a $355 million
increase over the FY2016 enacted level and $261 million above the President’s budget request.
The bill provides added resources to strengthen the U.S. nuclear deterrence posture,ensure nuclear stockpile readiness and safety, and prepare for existing and future nuclear threats.
It also promotes programs to improve American energy security and economiccompetitiveness. For the second year in a row, the subcommittee approved the highest level offunding ever for the DOE Office of Science in a regular appropriations bill to spur greater
innovation in energy research, high-performance computing and next-generation technologies.
Important to American commerce and public safety, the committee rejects the President’s
budget recommendation to cut U.S. Army Corps of Engineer funding by 23 percent and instead
approves a responsible level of funding to improve and maintain flood control projects andensure the viability of national and regional ports and waterways.
“Legislation approved today brings us one step closer to doubling basic energy researchat the Office of Science, fully funds projects that are supported by the Inland Waterways TrustFund, and takes an important step toward solving the 25-year-old nuclear waste stalemate,” said
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Subcommittee. “Today’s vote is proof that the appropriations
process is working. Sen. Feinstein and I have worked hard to create a bipartisan bill, and I lookforward to the bill being considered by the full Appropriations Committee.”--MORE--Page 2FY2017 Energy & Water Development Appropriations BillBill Highlights:
The Senate FY2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill totals $37.5 billion,$355 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $261 million above the President’s request.
While meeting national priorities, the legislation makes targeted reductions to lower-priorityprograms.
Nuclear Security – $12.9 billion, a $341 million increase over FY2016, for DOE nuclear
security programs, including Weapons Activities, Naval Reactors, and Defense Nuclear
Nonproliferation. This includes:
 $9.3 billion for Weapons Activities, $438 million above the FY2016 enacted level $1.4 billion for Naval Reactors, $45 million above the FY2016 enacted level when
accounting for programmatic transfers
 $1.8 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, $118 million below the FY2016
enacted level
Army Corps of Engineers – $6 billion, an increase of $11 million above the FY2016 enacted
level and $1.378 million above the President’s budget request. The bill provides:
 For the third year, the bill exceeds the targets in the Water Resources Reform andDevelopment Act of 2014 for appropriations from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fundfor the Corps of Engineers.
 The bill also makes and full use of the estimated annual revenues from the Inland
Waterways Trust Fund, to advance American competitiveness and export capabilities
 The bill provides $700 million above the President’s budget request for construction ofriver and harbor, flood storm damage reduction, shore protection, aquatic ecosystem
restoration, and related projects authorized by law.
Bureau of Reclamation – $1.14 billion, $327 million above the President’s request, for the U.S.
Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation to help manage, develop, and protect
the water resources of Western states.
Science Research – $5.4 billion for science research, an increase of $50 million above theFY2016 enacted level, to support basic energy research, development of high-performancecomputing systems, and research into the next generation of clean energy sources--all important
areas for lessening U.S. dependence on foreign energy sources and for improving economiccompetitiveness.
Environmental Cleanup – $6.4 billion for DOE environmental management activities, $133
million above the FY2016 enacted level, including $5.4 billion for Defense Environmental
Cleanup to continue remediation of sites contaminated by previous nuclear weapons production.
The bill also funds cleanup activities at other non-defense related nuclear sites.

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FY2017 Energy & Water Development Appropriations BillSolving the Nuclear Waste Stalemate – The bill includes a pilot program for consolidated
nuclear waste storage, introduced by Alexander and ranking member U.S. Senator Dianne
Feinstein (D-Calif.). It also includes language that allows DOE to store nuclear waste at private
facilities that are licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Energy Programs – $11.2 billion, an increase of $157 million above the FY2016 enacted level
and $136 million below the President’s request. Within this total, the bill prioritizes andincreases funding for energy programs that encourage U.S. economic competitiveness and thatwill advance “all-of-the-above” solution to U.S. energy independence.
Fossil Energy Research and Development – $632 million, the same as the FY2016 enacted
level, for technologies to advance coal, natural gas, oil, and other fossil energy resources. Inaddition, the bill provides $1.058 billion, a $72 million increase from the FY2016 enacted level,for nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration activities.
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) – The bill eliminates funding for
ITER, which is under construction in France, saving $125 million. ITER continues to crowd out
other federal science investments where the United States has maintained leadership, including
high performance computing and materials science.
Other policy items:
The bill prohibits any changes to the definition of “fill material” and “discharge of fill material”
for the purposes of the Clean Water Act.
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