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Appropriations Subcommittee Approves Fiscal Year 2020 Interior-Environment Funding Bill

May 15, 2019

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies today approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2020 bill. In total, the draft bill includes $37.28 billion, an increase of $1.73 billion over the 2019 enacted level and $7.24 billion over the President's 2020 request. There is also an additional $2.25 billion of funding provided under the fire suppression cap adjustment. The bill next heads to the full Appropriations Committee for markup.

"I'm proud of the Interior-Environment funding bill approved by the subcommittee today that will now be considered by the full Appropriations Committee," said House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Chair Betty McCollum. "This legislation represents a shift in priorities. With Democrats at the helm, we're now investing in our public lands, the environment, and the needs of people and communities across the country – including in areas that have been ignored or severely underfunded in years past. We're investing billions more than the Trump administration requested in funding that will ensure our air is safe to breathe and our water is safe to drink, and that our public lands and endangered species are protected for future generations. Science matters. Addressing climate change matters. Protecting our cultural and natural heritage matters too. The American people can count on us to make the investments important in their daily lives – not only today but for tomorrow."

"As stewards of the taxpayer dollar, this subcommittee is obligated to make sound investments that protect the health and safety of Americans, preserve our rich cultural heritage, and conserve our environment for the benefit of future generations. The Fiscal Year 2020 Interior and the Environment Appropriations bill marks a serious investment in each of these priorities, with much-needed increases after years of inadequate funding," said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey. "This bill makes critical investments in climate change science at EPA and USGS, increases production of renewable energy on public lands, builds our infrastructure and manages our public lands to increase resiliency to storms, wildfires, and other disasters, and begins to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations to Native Americans. We owe it to our children to leave this country safer and healthier."

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill is here.