Alan Simpson: “It is my distinct honor to present the fiscal year 2015 Energy and Water bill for consideration before the full House. I…”

“It is my distinct honor to present the fiscal year 2015 Energy and Water bill for consideration before the full House. I would like to recognize the efforts of our chairman, Mr. Rogers, and Ranking Member Lowey to bring this bill to the floor. Their efforts to bring the appropriations process back to regular order ensures that our Federal discretionary spending receives the full scrutiny of this body and our committee process. {time} 1330 I would also like to thank Ranking Member Kaptur for all of her work. Her contributions and advice have made this legislation stronger. The bill before us totals $34.01 billion for activities for the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and other agencies under our jurisdiction. This is a $50 million reduction from last year's funding levels. The bill prioritizes investments in this Nation's infrastructure and national defense. As we do each year, we worked hard to incorporate priorities and perspectives from both sides of the aisle. For instance, this bill overcomes the budget request's proposed cut of nearly $1 billion to the critical programs of the Army Corps of Engineers. The request would have led to economic disruptions at our ports and waterways as our ports and waterways filled in and would have left our communities and businesses vulnerable to flooding.…”