RSC looks to slash energy subsidies from energy, water spending bill

By Pete Kasperowicz - 07/11/11 04:46 PM ET

The Republican Study Committee on Monday introduced an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act that would cut $3.25 billion in spending for energy subsidies, which Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said would help stop the government from "picking winners and losers" in the energy sector.

McClintock said his amendment would cut an energy efficiency and renewable energy program at the Department of Energy that would end research for solar, wind, geo-thermal and other energy sources widely supported by Democrats.

"By stopping the government from doling out dollars to politically favored industries, by stopping it from picking winners and losers among emerging technologies competing for capital, we restore the natural flow of that capital toward those that are the most economically viable and technologically feasible," McClintock said.

"We're not funding the most viable research in these technologies," he added, calling these technologies "so dubious" that few risk investing in these programs. "Private capital beats a path to the door of viable technology."

Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and other Democrats rejected the proposal, and bristled at the idea of further cutting these programs when the underlying bill, H.R. 2354, already increases funding for the traditional oil, coal and gas industries.

"This is a classic case of ancestor worship," Markey said of the amendment. "They leave in the money for nuclear, but zero out the money for wind, zero out the money for solar, zero out the money for energy efficiency, zero out the money for conservation."

Markey also proposed an amendment to move $100 million from oil, coal and gas programs into renewable energy programs, but Republicans said they would oppose it. Votes on both proposals are expected Monday evening.

The bill would fund the Department of Energy and other agencies, and cut $1 billion compared to current funding levels. Several members introduced proposals on Monday aimed at restoring funding to parts of Title I of the bill, which deals with the Army Corps of Engineers. Among Democrats, Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) introduced an amendment that would restore funding to the Corps. Under the bill, $88 million of these funds would be cut.

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) proposed an amendment that would strike language precluding the Corps and Environmental Protection Agency from issuing regulations clarifying which waters fall under federal protection.

Several other Republicans also offered amendments on Monday. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) proposed an amendment that would increase funding for dredging the Mississippi River by $6.8 million. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) proposed language that would cut $5 million in spending for global warming planning in the Corps. And Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) offered an amendment that would remove language barring the use of funds to convert functions done by government employees to private companies.

Aside from these amendments, several others that were introduced were either subjected to points of order or withdrawn.

One amendment, from Rep. Marcy Kapur (D-Ohio), proposed shifting $10 million from the Department of Energy's salaries and expenses to help restore funds to solar energy and other renewable energy programs. But it was rejected in a voice vote shortly before 5 p.m.

—This story was updated at 5:25 p.m. to reflect the RSC amendment.