John Myers: “The conference agreement that we are bringing to the floor at this time for this next fiscal year is $19.973 billion of…”

“The conference agreement that we are bringing to the floor at this time for this next fiscal year is $19.973 billion of new budget authority. This is $562 million higher than the version passed by the House a few weeks ago and $343 million below the Senate-passed level. The greatest amount of this increase is in Defense--a $449 million increase in Defense activities. A lot of people do not realize that 57 percent of the energy and water bill--over half--is Defense related. Domestic discretionary programs have been reduced by $48 million below last year. $11.4 billion is in Defense. Of that amount, $5,620,000,000 is for environmental restoration and waste management. No small amount. That is the most rapidly growing account that we have. We are cleaning up the nuclear waste and other wastes that have been accumulating through the years. Mr. Speaker, the bill has five titles. Title I is related to water resources. We have more than 25,000 miles of inland waterways. The deep ports of our country all come under the jurisdiction of this bill. The title contains $3.5 billion for Corps of Engineers water resource programs this year. This is $136 million more than last year, and it is $210 million above the President's request.”