BREAKING NEWS: CR PASSES AND SHUTDOWN AVERTED; DOE FACES POTENTIAL CUTS FROM HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE

ECA Staff | 10/02/23

Congress was successful in avoiding a government shutdown this past week with the Continuing Resolution (CR) H.R. 5860. This CR continues government funding through November 17. This bill extends FY 23 funding levels for federal agencies and programs that would have shutdown on October 1. This week the House plans on returning to their last regular appropriations bills for FY 24. 

With a CR passed, Congress will now go through all appropriation bills and make amendments as they see fit for FY 2024. Once an appropriations bill comes out of its own subcommittee and is reported by its committee, its next step is to head to the Rules Committee. The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet today, October 2nd at 4:00pm to set the terms for floor debate on the FY 2024 Energy and Water bill (H.R. 4394), which needs a simple majority passage. 

This bill provides $57.958 billion in discretionary spending which is $1.963 billion below the President's budget request. Of this request the Department of Energy is set to receive $43.3 billion, which is a $2.94 billion decrease from FY 2023 enacted. This includes: $8.28 billion for the Office of EM; $23.9 billion for NNSA; $1.78 billion for the Office of NE; and more. 

However, some representatives in the Rules Committee have proposed amendments that block funding for some initiatives, as well as cut funding overall. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Montana-2) would cut the Energy and Water bill by almost $1.6 billion to match the funding levels from FY 2022. As a topline number cut, it is not known what programs or offices would be impacted. However, ECA will continue to monitor this amendment along with others. 

Another amendment from Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina-5) would eliminate all funding for Department of Energy Office of Science’s Office of Scientific Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (SW-DEI). There are some amendments that have come from outside the Rules Committee, including Rep. John Garamendi (D-California-8) proposed amendment that would prohibit funding for plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility.  

ECA will continue to follow the Energy and Water Bill and provide updates as it continues to move across the chambers. For more information read the ECA Energy and Water Appropriations summary here.