Rob Thornton, International District Energy Association
June 23, 2017
Both chambers of Congress held hearings this week to examine how the Trump Administration’s FY 2018 Budget Proposal would impact energy programs. The House Appropriations Committee reviewed proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) budgets, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony about the DOE budget, and the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee held hearings on the Department of Interior and DOE budget proposals.
The Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, which Senator Shaheen chairs, received testimony from Energy Secretary Rick Perry defending the proposed, drastic cuts to Department of Energy (DOE) programs. DOE’s TAPS and the EPA’s CHP Partnership Program are targeted budget reductions of 53 percent and 100 percent respectively.
Shaheen – a long-time IDEA friend – took Perry to task, questioning the intelligence of the proposed 70 percent cut to energy programs that are creating jobs, stimulating the economy, and helping to reduce energy bills and decrying plans to switch funding responsibility for popular programs like residential weatherization from the federal to state governments. Watch Senator Shaheen question Secretary Perry: https://youtu.be/9KqKyqgPIVk
Many of the DOE programs in question have traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support, and many still do. In May, six Republican senators wrote a letter to President Trump to express their support for continued funding for DOE programs.
While these budget cuts are only proposed at this stage, the intent is clear. IDEA will continue monitoring these issue with interest, and as are Congressional Republicans and Democrats. We look forward to working with our IDEA members to ensure your priorities are understood, and perhaps more importantly, heard in Washington.
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