House Appropriations Committee Issues Report on Department of Interior, Environment, Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2018 (Part 7 of 7)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- The House Appropriations Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 115-238) on legislation (H.R. 3354) in explanation of the accompanying bill making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. The bill provides regular annual appropriations for the Department of the Interior (except the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project), the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other related agencies, including the Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. The report was advanced by Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., on July 21.

Continues from Part 6 of 7

DEPARTMENT WIDE PROGRAMS

Wildland Fire Management

Providing funds for wildland fire management.

Designating funds for renovation or construction of fire facilities and designating funds for Wildfire suppression operations.

Permitting the repayments of funds transferred from other accounts for firefighting.

Designating funds for hazardous fuels and burned area rehabilitation.

Permitting the use of funds for lodging and subsistence of firefighters.

Permitting the use of grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for hazardous fuels reduction, including cost- sharing and local assistance.

Permitting cost-sharing of cooperative agreements with non- Federal entities under certain circumstances.

Providing for local competition for hazardous fuel reduction activities.

Permitting reimbursement to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for consultation activities under the Endangered Species Act.

Providing certain terms for leases of real property with local governments.

Providing for the transfer of funds between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for wildland fire management.

Providing funds for support of Federal emergency response actions.

Allowing for international forestry assistance to or through the Department of State.

CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND

Providing funds for response action, including associated activities, performed pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

WORKING CAPITAL FUND

Allowing funds for the financial and business management system and information technology improvement.

Prohibiting use of funds to establish reserves in the working capital fund with exceptions.

Allowing assessments for reasonable charges for training services at the National Indian Program Center and use of these funds under certain conditions.

Providing space and related facilities or the lease of related facilities, equipment or professional services of the National Indian Program Training Center to state, local and Tribal employees or other persons for cultural, educational or recreational activities.

Providing that the Secretary may enter into grants and cooperative agreements to support the Office of Natural Resource Revenue's collection and disbursement of royalties, fees, and other mineral revenue proceeds, as authorized by law.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION

Allowing acquisition and sale of certain aircraft.

PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES

Extending funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes.

OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE

Designating funds for mineral revenue management activities.

Allowing certain refunds of overpayments in connection with certain Indian leases.

General Provisions, Department of the Interior

Allowing transfer of funds for certain reconstruction of facilities, aircraft or utilities in emergency situations.

Allowing transfer of funds in certain emergency situations, including wildfires and oil spill response, if other funds provided in other accounts will be exhausted within 30 days and a supplemental appropriation is requested as promptly as possible.

Permitting the Department to use limited funding for certain services.

Permitting the transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians and limiting amounts for historical accounting activities.

Authorizing the redistribution of Tribal Priority Allocation funds to address unmet needs.

Authorizing the acquisition of lands and leases for Ellis, Governors and Liberty Islands.

Providing the authority for the Secretary to collect nonrefundable inspection fees.

Permitting the reorganization of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Enforcement and Regulation.

Permitting the Secretary of the Interior to enter into long-term agreements for wild horse and burro holding facilities.

Requiring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to mark hatchery salmon.

Addressing BLM actions regarding grazing on public lands.

Continuing a provision allowing the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education to more efficiently and effectively perform reimbursable work.

Regarding status reviews and determinations for sage-grouse pursuant to the Endangered Species Act.

Permitting the transfer of excess wild horses and burros for work purposes.

Prohibiting the use of funds to list in the National Register of Historic Places property deemed crucial to national security and military training.

Requiring the reissuance of certain final rules and prohibiting such rules from further judicial review.

Prohibiting the treatment of gray wolves range-wide as an endangered or threatened species.

TITLE II--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Science and Technology

Providing for operating expenses in support of research and development.

Designating funding for National Priorities research as specified in the report accompanying this Act.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND MANAGEMENT

Allowing hire and maintenance of passenger motor vehicles and operation of aircraft and purchase of reprints and library memberships in societies or associations which issue publications to members only or at a price to members lower than to subscribers who are not members.

Limiting amounts for official representation and reception expenses.

Providing two-year funding availability for administrative costs of Brownfields program.

Limitation of funds for the Chemical Risk Review and Reduction program.

Designating funding for National Priorities as specified in the report accompanying this Act.

Designating funding for Geographical programs as specified in the report accompanying this Act.

HAZARDOUS WASTE ELECTRONIC MANIFEST SYSTEM FUND

Providing for the collection and expenditure of fees.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE SUPERFUND

Allowing distribution of funds to purchase services from other agencies under certain circumstances.

Providing for the transfer of funds within certain agency accounts.

LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PROGRAM

Providing for grants to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

STATE AND TRIBAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Limiting funding amounts for certain programs.

Specifying funding for capitalization grants for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and allowing certain amounts for additional subsidies.

Designating funds for specific sections of law.

Providing waivers for certain uses of Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for State administrative costs for grants to federally-recognized Indian Tribes and grants to specific Territories and Freely Associated States.

Requiring that 10 percent Clean Water and 20 percent of Drinking Water funds shall be used by States for forgiveness of principal or negative interest loans.

Prohibiting the use of funds for jurisdictions that permit development or construction of additional colonia areas.

Providing certain grants under authority of Section 103, Clean Air Act.

Providing funding for environmental information exchange network initiatives grants, statistical surveys of water resources and enhancements to State monitoring programs, Tribal grants, and underground storage tank projects.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Allowing awards of grants to federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

Authorizing the collection and obligation of pesticide registration service fees.

Authorizing the collection and obligations of TSCA fees.

Allowing the transfer of funds from the "Environmental Programs and Management" account to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and providing for certain interagency agreements and grants to various entities in support of this effort.

Providing amounts for construction, alteration, repair, rehabilitation, and renovation of facilities.

Providing for grants to federally recognized Tribes.

Providing amounts for competitive grants under the National Estuary Program.

TITLE III--RELATED AGENCIES

Forest Service

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Providing funds for the office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.

FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

Providing funds for forest and rangeland research.

Designating funds for the forest inventory and analysis program.

STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

Providing for forest health management, including treatments of certain pests or invasive plants, and for restoring damaged forests, and for cooperative forestry, education and land conservation activities, and conducting an international program.

Deriving certain funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM

Providing funds for the National Forest System.

Depositing funds in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund.

Designating funds for forest products.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

Providing funds for construction, reconstruction, and maintenance and acquisition of buildings and other facilities and infrastructure; and for construction, capital improvement, decommissioning, and maintenance of forest roads and trails.

Requiring that funds becoming available in fiscal year 2018 for the road and trails fund (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be transferred to the Treasury.

LAND ACQUISITION

Requiring that funding for the program is derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS

Requiring that funding for the program is derived from forest receipts.

ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES

Requiring that funding for the program is derived from funds deposited by State, county, or municipal governments and non-Federal parties pursuant to Land Sale and Exchange Acts.

RANGE BETTERMENT FUND

Providing that fifty percent of monies received for grazing fees shall be used for range improvements and limiting administrative expenses to six percent.

GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS

Providing for gifts, donations and bequest per Federal law.

MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FORESTS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES

Providing funds for subsistence uses per the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Wildland Fire Management

Permitting the use of funds for emergency rehabilitation and restoration and hazardous fuels reduction to support emergency response and wildfire suppression.

Allowing the use of wildland fire funds to repay advances from other accounts.

Allowing reimbursement of States for certain wildfire emergency activities.

Allowing funds to be available for emergency rehabilitation, hazardous fuels reduction and emergency response.

Designating funds for suppression, hazardous fuels reduction and national fire plan research.

Designating funds for State fire assistance and volunteer fire assistance Federal and State and private lands.

Providing for cooperative agreements and grants.

Allowing funds available for Community Forest Restoration Act to be used on non-Federal land.

Limiting the transfer of wildland fire management funds between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture.

Designating the use of hazardous fuels reduction funds for biomass grants.

Providing that funds designated for suppression shall be assessed for cost pools.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Permitting the purchase of passenger motor vehicles and proceeds from the sale of aircraft may be used to purchase replacement aircraft.

Allowing funds for certain employment contracts.

Allowing funds to be used for purchase and alteration of buildings.

Allowing for acquisition of certain lands and interests.

Allowing expenses for certain volunteer activities.

Providing for the cost of uniforms.

Providing for debt collections on certain contracts.

Allowing transfer of funds in certain emergency situations if all other funds provided for wildfire suppression will be obligated within 30 days and the Secretary notifies the Committees.

Allowing funds to be used through the Agency for International Development for work in foreign countries and to support other forestry activities outside of the United States.

Allowing the Forest Service, acting for the International Program, to sign certain funding agreements with foreign governments and institutions as well as with certain domestic agencies.

Authorizing the expenditure or transfer of funds for wild horse and burro activities.

Prohibiting the transfer of funds under the Department of Agriculture transfer authority under certain conditions.

Limiting the transfer of funds for the Working Capital Fund and Department Reimbursable Program (also known as Greenbook charges).

Limiting funds to support the Youth Conservation Corps and Public Lands Corps.

Limiting the use of funds for official reception and representation expenses.

Providing for matching funds for the National Forest Foundation.

Providing for matching funds for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Allowing funds to be used for technical assistance for rural communities.

Allowing funds for payments to counties in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Allowing funds to be used for the Older Americans Act.

Permitting funding assessments for facilities maintenance, rent, utilities, and other support services.

Limiting funds to reimburse the Office of General Counsel at the Department of Agriculture.

Permitting eligible employees to be considered a Federal Employee.

Requiring regular reporting of unobligated balances.

Designating availability of funds appropriated in a previous fiscal year for the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund.

Indian Health Service

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

Providing that Tribal contract and grant funding is deemed obligated at the time of grant or contract award and remains available until expended.

Providing no-year funds for contract medical care including the Indian Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund.

Providing for loan repayment under sections 104 and 108 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act with certain conditions and making the funds available for certain other purposes.

Providing for operational funds for leased space and accreditation emergencies.

Providing for the allocation of certain funds.

Providing that certain contracts and grants may be performed in two fiscal years.

Providing for use of collections and reporting of collections under Title IV of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Providing no-year funding for scholarship funds.

Providing for the collection of individually identifiable health information relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Permitting the use of Indian Health Care Improvement Fund monies for facilities improvement and providing no-year funding availability.

CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS

Providing for such sums as are necessary to fully fund contract support costs.

Prohibiting the transfer of funds from any other account within the Indian Health Service to fund contract support costs.

Indian Health Facilities

Providing that facilities funds may be used to purchase land, modular buildings and trailers.

Providing for TRANSAM equipment to be purchased from the Department of Defense.

Prohibiting the use of funds for sanitation facilities for new homes funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Allowing for the purchase of ambulances.

Providing for a demolition fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Providing for per diem expenses for senior level positions.

Providing for payments for telephone service in private residences in the field, purchase of motor vehicles, aircraft and reprints.

Providing for purchase and erection of modular buildings.

Providing funds for uniforms.

Allowing funding to be used for attendance at professional meetings.

Providing that health care may be extended to non-Indians at Indian Health Service facilities, subject to charges, and for the expenditure of collected funds.

Providing for transfers of funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Indian Health Service.

Prohibiting limitations on certain Federal travel and transportation expenses.

Requiring departmental assessments to be identified in annual budget justifications.

Allowing de-obligation and re-obligation of funds applied to self-governance funding agreements.

Prohibiting the expenditure of funds to implement new eligibility regulations.

Permitting certain reimbursements for goods and services provided to Tribes.

Providing that reimbursements for training, technical assistance, or services include total costs.

Prohibiting changes in organizational structure without advance notification to Congress.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH

Providing for the conduct of health studies, testing, and monitoring.

Providing deadlines for health assessments and studies.

Limiting the number of toxicological profiles.

Executive Office of the President

COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

Limiting the use of funds for official reception and representation expenses.

Designating the appointment and duties of the chairman.

Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

Providing that funds in this and prior appropriations Acts shall be used to relocate persons certified as eligible.

Providing that no person can be evicted unless a replacement home is provided.

Providing that no relocatee is provided with more than one new or replacement home.

Providing for the transfer of funds to the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General.

CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD

Permitting use of funds for hire of passenger vehicles, uniforms or allowances with per diem rate limitations.

Limiting the number of senior level positions.

Designating the individual appointed to the position of Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency as the Inspector General of the Board.

Directing use of personnel and limiting position appointments within the Board.

Smithsonian Institution

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Limiting certain lease terms.

Providing for purchase of passenger vehicles and certain rental, repair and cleaning of uniforms.

Designating funds for certain programs and providing no- year funds.

Providing that funds may be used to support American overseas research centers.

Allowing for advance payments to independent contractors performing research services or participating in official Smithsonian presentations.

FACILITIES CAPITAL

Designating funds for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and construction and for consultant services.

National Gallery of Art

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Allowing payment in advance for membership in library, museum, and art associations or societies.

Allowing for purchase, repair, and cleaning of uniforms for guards and employees and allowances therefor.

Allowing purchase or rental of devices for protecting buildings and contents thereof, and maintenance, alteration, improvement, and repair of buildings, approaches, and grounds.

Providing for restoration and repair of works of art by contract under certain circumstances.

Providing no-year funds for special exhibitions.

REPAIR, RESTORATION, AND RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS

Providing lease agreements of no more than 10 years addressing space needs created by renovations under the Master Facilities Plan.

Permitting the Gallery to perform work by contract under certain circumstances.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

Providing funds to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Kennedy Center for operational and maintenance costs.

CAPITAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION

Providing funds to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Kennedy Center for facility repair.

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Providing funds to the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars.

Allowing for hire of passenger vehicles and services.

National Endowment for the Arts

GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION

Providing funds for the support of projects and productions in the arts, including arts education and public outreach activities.

National Endowment for the Humanities

GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION

Specifying funds to carry out the matching grants program.

Allowing obligation of National Endowment for the Humanities current and prior year funds from gifts, bequests, and devises of money for which equal amounts have not previously been appropriated.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

Prohibiting the use of funds for grants and contracts which do not include the text of 18 U.S.C. 1913.

Prohibiting the use of appropriated funds and permitting the use of non-appropriated funds for reception expenses.

Allowing the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts to approve small grants under certain circumstances.

Commission of Fine Arts

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Permitting the charging and use of fees for its publications and accepting gifts related to the history of the Nation's Capital.

Providing that one-tenth of one percent of funds provided may be used for official reception and representation expenses.

NATIONAL CAPITAL ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

Providing funding for the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs.

NATIONAL CAPITAL PLANNING COMMISSION

Providing funding for the National Capital Planning Commission.

Providing that one-quarter of one percent may be used for official reception and representational expenses.

UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM

Designating funds for equipment replacement.

Designating funds for repair, rehabilitation and for exhibition design and production and providing no year availability for these funds.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Providing funding for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

Providing funding for design and construction of a memorial in honor of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Providing that the contract with respect to the procurement shall contain the availability of funds clause.

Providing that funds appropriated shall satisfy the requirement for issuing a permit.

WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL COMMISSION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Providing funding for the World War I Centennial Commission.

Providing that the Commission may accept support from any executive branch agency for activities of the Commission.

TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Prohibiting the use of funds to promote or oppose legislative proposals on which congressional action is incomplete.

Providing for annual appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this Act.

Providing for disclosure of administrative expenses, assessments and requirements for operating plans.

Continuing a limitation on accepting and processing applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands; permitting processing of grandfathered applications; and permitting third-party contractors to process grandfathered applications.

Continuing a provision regarding the payment of contract support costs for prior fiscal years.

Addressing the payment of contract support costs for fiscal year 2018.

Continuing a provision allowing Forest Service land management plans to be more than 15 years old if the Secretary is acting in good faith to update such plans and prohibiting the use of funds to implement new wilderness directives under the planning rule.

Limiting leasing and preleasing activities within National Monuments.

Limiting takings for acquisition of lands except under certain conditions.

Continuing a provision addressing timber sales involving Alaskan western red cedar.

Prohibiting funds to enter into certain no-bid contracts except under certain conditions.

Requiring reports to Congress to be posted on public agency websites.

Continuing a provision that delineates grant guidelines for the National Endowment for the Arts.

Continuing a provision that delineates program priorities for the programs managed by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Requiring that the Department of the Interior, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service provide the Committees on Appropriations a quarterly report on the status of balances of appropriations.

Providing a one-year extension of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

Continuing a provision prohibiting the use of funds to promulgate or implement any regulation requiring the issuance of permits under title V of the Clean Air Act for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions.

Continuing a provision prohibiting the use of funds to implement any provision in a rule if that provision requires mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems.

Modifying authorities relating to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

Prohibiting the use of funds to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle.

Extending authorities for awarding contracts for certain activities on public lands.

Extending the authority for the Chesapeake Bay Initiative.

Extending certain authorities allowing the Forest Service to renew grazing permits.

Prohibiting the use of funds to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography.

Extending the Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act.

Setting requirements for the use of American iron and steel for certain loans and grants.

Prohibiting the use of funds to destroy buildings or structures on Midway Island recommended for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Addressing carbon emissions from forest biomass.

Extending by one year the authorization for the John F. Kennedy Center.

Prohibiting the use of funds to require permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material for certain agriculture activities.

Authorizing the withdrawal of the Waters of the United States rule.

Addressing the implementation of national ambient air quality standards for ozone.

Prohibiting the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any regulation that would establish new financial responsibility requirements under CERCLA.

Prohibiting the use of funds to issue any regulation under the Solid Waste Disposal Act that applies to an animal feeding operation.

Prohibiting the use of funds to further implementation of the National Ocean Policy under Executive Order 13547.

Prohibiting the use of funds to limit recreational shooting and hunting on Federal and public lands except for public safety.

Making available vacant grazing allotments for permittees impacted by drought or wildfire.

Limits funds for activities related to wind turbines less than 24 nautical miles from the State of Maryland shoreline.

Establishing a Spending Reduction Account in the bill.

Appropriations Not Authorized by Law

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the following table lists the appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not authorized by law:

COMPARISON WITH BUDGET RESOLUTION

Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, requires that the report accompanying a bill providing new budget authority contain a statement detailing how the authority compares with the reports submitted under section 302 of the Act for the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal year. This information follows:

FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS

In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, the following table contains five-year projections associated with the budget authority provided in the accompanying bill:

ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended, the financial assistance to State and local governments is as follows:

PROGRAM DUPLICATION

No provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

DIRECTED RULE MAKING

Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5 (115th Congress), the bill includes the following direct rule makings:

1) Endangered Species Act, gray wolves, Wyoming (in section 116 of Title I)

2) Endangered Species Act, gray wolves, western Great Lakes (in section 116 of Title I)

3) Administrative Control of Funds (Forest Service-- Administrative Provisions in Title III).

TABLE OF FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS

The following table provides the amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by account.

DISSENTING VIEWS

When Democrats controlled the Senate and White House, House Republicans passed "no budget, no pay" legislation to express their dismay with the Senate's failure to adopt a budget. With Republicans now in full control of the House, the Senate, and the White House, the nation's fiscal house is in a state of disrepair.

More than three months after the April 15 deadline, not only is there no conferenced budget resolution, but--as of July 20--the House and Senate have failed even to pass resolutions out of their own chambers. Meanwhile, the Appropriations Committee is left with budget caps that cut $8 billion from Non-Defense bills compared to fiscal year 2017.

As a result, the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies (Interior) Appropriations bill falls short with insufficient funding in addition to harmful policy riders and a willful ignorance to address the reality of climate change.

The bill underfunds the Environmental Protection Agency, which has already endured deep cuts over the past seven years. Since fiscal year 2010, the EPA has been reduced by $2.2 billion and has 2,000 fewer staff. Adjusted for inflation, EPA has already been cut 30 percent below FY 2010 levels. Despite these alarming figures, the bill reduces the EPA even further, cutting the Agency by $528 million below the FY 2017 enacted level, which is 64 percent of the cut to the Subcommittee's overall allocation.

We are at a defining moment in history when our actions to combat climate change will impact the world we pass on to our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We cannot afford to disregard the overwhelming scientific evidence that the planet is warming, sea level is rising, and glaciers are melting. The recent and historic calving of a glacier in Antarctica the size of Delaware was a sobering reminder of the enormous consequences of a changing climate.

The planet is experiencing more severe droughts, flooding, and wildfires that threaten lives and livelihoods. Climate change has the potential to adversely impact all Americans, as even noted in a Defense Department report, hitting vulnerable populations hardest, harming productivity in key economic sectors, and saddling future generations with costly economic and environmental burdens.

Human actions play a role in climate change, and as elected leaders we cannot turn a blind eye to the obvious need for intervention. Disappointingly, the Majority ignores this reality and instead uses the Interior bill to expedite the degradation of our environment and contribute to conditions that facilitate climate change.

EPA's regulatory role makes it the federal government's principal agency for reducing carbon emissions. The significant cuts in this bill would impact the Agency's ability to protect public health and the environment, and jeopardize clean air and water for our families and future generations.

The bill also disinvests in climate change research, cutting the United States Geological Survey (USGS) by $46 million below the FY 2017 enacted level. If the federal government is going to make educated and informed decisions, it must have the best available science, and cutting USGS research hinders the acquisition of that information. The disinvestment in these two agencies that research and mitigate climate change is reckless and irresponsible.

Further evidence of the Trump Administration's disregard for the legacy we are leaving to future generations is the blatant funding reductions for natural resource conservation and wildlife protection.

The Majority continues its assault on the Endangered Species Act in this bill, reducing funding for endangered species listing by 17 percent. This irresponsible cut opens the door for litigation and delays protecting and recovering vulnerable species.

This bill also shortchanges the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which since its inception has protected conservation and recreation land in every State and supported tens of thousands of State and local projects. Yet, despite its merits, this bill slashes the LWCF program by a third, even though this successful program enjoys bipartisan support.

Once again the majority has failed to adopt the commonsense reforms championed in Representative Simpson's wildfire disaster funding bill. Every member of the Interior subcommittee is a cosponsor of that bill, yet the majority has balked, citing committee jurisdiction. The Administration did not propose a fix for wildland fire funding, and the majority has not proposed an approach wherein costs associated with wildfires can be responsibly met without usurping base funding of other agencies in the Interior bill. This year, $3.4 billion, or 11 percent of the subcommittee's total allocation, would be spent on wildland fire. It is imperative we push for a solution to this problem as we monitor the devastating fires burning in the West. Wild fire disasters should be treated like any other covered disasters, such as flooding and tornadoes, that are payed for without requiring cuts to other important programs.

Despite this bill's shortcomings in environmental protection and resource conservation, the subcommittee continues to maintain a non-partisan approach to addressing Native American issues, and the bill recommends an increase of $106 million over the FY 2017 enacted level for programs critical to Indian Country. The increased funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service is critical to fulfilling our federal trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations, including support for health care, education, and public safety.

The bill also funds important Historic Preservation grant programs The bill provides $5 million for the Save America's Treasures program that preserves nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts. Additionally, we note the bill provides $10.5 million for the Civil Rights Initiative grant program and $3 million for grants-in-aid to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

We applaud the Chairman for rejecting the Administration's proposal to eliminate funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. These agencies honor and preserve the nation's rich cultural heritage and foster access to the arts and the humanities.

Just as problematic as funding decisions in this bill are the policy provisions that undermine clean air and water protections, block the federal government's ability to use the Endangered Species Act, and effectively repeal the Waters of the United States Rule, which protects our wetlands and waterways.

Democrats attempted to address many inadequacies through the amendment process in Committee. Ranking Member McCollum offered an amendment to remove 16 partisan riders, including those affecting the Department of the Interior and EPA. The majority strongly rejected these efforts. Ranking Member Lowey offered amendments to strike Endangered Species Act riders and prohibit drilling in the unique and pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. These amendments failed along party lines, and the majority has thwarted the normal process and procedures set out in statute.

Congressman Quigley offered an amendment to prohibit closure of EPA Regional offices. These regional offices are the front line in protecting public health and safeguarding our air and water. They play a crucial role through the relationships regional staff develop with states and local government and with industry. The Republicans defeated the amendment in a partisan vote of 21-29.

The Trump Administration's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords fundamentally undermines American global leadership and endangers the future of our planet. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that Congress affirms the United States' commitment to addressing climate change. Congressman Cartwright offered an amendment to include report language recognizing that the consequences of climate change have the potential to adversely impact all Americans and encouraging agencies to create economically viable solutions to study and address the causes of climate change. The amendment failed, 21- 29, in a partisan vote.

For all the reasons outlined, we cannot support this bill in its current form given the inclusion of ideological riders, dramatic cuts to environmental protection, and the insufficient allocation for the overall bill. Despite our current opposition, we intend to continue to work with Chairman Calvert through this year's appropriations process to produce a responsible bill that both parties can support.

Betty McCollum.

Nita M. Lowey.

Myron Struck, editor, Targeted News Service, Springfield, Va., 703/304-1897; editor@targetednews.com; http://www.targetednews.com