Marcy Kaptur Opening
Statement
The Subcommittee will come to order as we begin our hearing on the
Department of Energy’s fiscal year 2020 budget request with respect to
its energy, science, and nuclear cleanup programs. Thank you, to both
Under Secretaries Mr. Menezes and Mr. Dabbar, for being here.
DOE addresses our nation’s most pressing
energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges through
transformative science and technology. But the Trump Administration’s
budget request drastically reduces or eliminates the very programs
necessary for the Department to pursue its mission.
DOE’s budget request is 11 percent below last
year’s levels, with most cuts in the non-defense side of the Department.
In fact, non-defense programs (relating mostly to the innovation
programs) are cut by 37 percent while defense programs are increased by
4 percent.
As I said last week at our hearing with Secretary Perry, this request is
riddled with wrongheaded proposals:
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy funding is cut by 86 percent.
EERE’s research over the last nearly four
decades has invented the future – it has driven down the costs of
clean energy technologies that save consumers money and reduce carbon
pollution. For example, since 2008, the cost of wind energy has
dropped by 75%, electric vehicle batteries by 79%, and
LED light bulbs by 94%.
- Further, this budget yet again eliminates the Weatherization Program,
which has a direct, positive impact on the lives and pocketbooks of
Americans, particularly elderly and low-income Americans. At a time
when one in five households have had to forego necessities to pay
energy bills, the Weatherization Program saves average citizens – our
taxpayers – hundreds of dollars per home annually.
- Funding for the Office of Science—the nation’s largest federal
supporter of basic research in the physical sciences—is cut by over $1
billion. These programs invest in foundational science to address
national needs, promote scientific discovery, and develop 21st Century
tools. In fact, this research has yielded over 100 Nobel prizes. And
its researchers have made key scientific advances ranging from solar
energy and batteries, to inventing new materials, to decoding
DNA. Those all are “wows” historically
speaking.
- Finally, this request cuts Environmental Management by over $700
million and thus fails to meet our moral and legal obligation to clean
up the nuclear legacy of nuclear weapons production and government
research.
In addition to opposing these destructive cuts, I want to be clear that
we will not support the use of budget gimmicks, in this case, the use of
prior year balances to fund future projects. Last week we heard from
Secretary Perry, who repeatedly committed to executing Congressional
intent as directed. This means DOE must
continue to execute its dollars appropriately and expeditiously. This
Subcommittee will be closely monitoring this implementation.
The energy future of our country depends on
DOE’s vital investments to solve our toughest
energy challenges. The President’s budget request harms America’s energy
future, our competitiveness, our consumers, and our economy. The Trump
budget also falls short in meeting our obligations to the communities
that have sacrificed, and still bear the brunt of costs borne from
winning World War II.
With that, I’ll close my remarks. Thank you, Mr. Menezes and Mr. Dabbar,
for being here today. We look forward to discussing the Department’s
budget request and adapting it accordingly. I would like to turn to our
Ranking Member, Mr. Simpson for his opening remarks.
Witnesses
- Paul
Dabbar,
Under Secretary for Science, U.S. Department of Energy
- Mark Menezes, Under Secretary for Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
House Appropriations Committee
Senate Appropriations Committee
Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
2362-B Rayburn
04/03/2019 at 01:45PM