Mike Honda: “Woman, I thank Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur for their hard work on this bill. It is an honor to serve with…”

“Woman, I thank Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur for their hard work on this bill. It is an honor to serve with them on the subcommittee. This bill contains many positive things that I support, like funding for the Army Corps of Engineers' construction account and programs that provide the Corps with critical oceans and weather data. It also includes strong funding for energy storage technologies as well as provisions that support increasing access to solar and renewable energy and promote increasing energy efficiency through smart electronics. However, there are many cuts that are problematic, particularly those to the energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. We have an opportunity now to lead the world in innovating the next generation of energy technologies, but we are hamstringing our ability to be competitive by underfunding critical energy programs Furthermore, I oppose the prohibition on the Department of Energy and Army Corps participating in marine and coastal planning efforts that are components of the National Ocean Policy. This provision is misguided and reduces our ability to protect our oceans, Great Lakes, and waterways that support our Nation's blue economy. Coordinated ocean planning that encourages collaboration between stakeholders and Federal agencies will help improve the management of our marine resources, and it is unwise to stop those conversations from happening.…”