Senate Clears Appropriations Minibus Boosting Key Department of Energy Research Programs

The Senate advanced a combination of three appropriations bills this week, including increased funding for key Department of Energy (DOE) research accounts.  The funding measure, which is the first FY 2019 appropriations legislation passed by the Senate, was approved by a vote of 86-5. Congress has until the end of September to come to agreement on funding the government for FY 2019.

H.R. 5895, the minibus appropriations bill, includes the Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water Development, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch appropriations measures.  The Senate’s Energy and Water Development package includes $43.76 billion to funds programs to advance American energy security and economic competitiveness, and is $566 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $7.24 billion above the President’s budget request. 

Key Department of Energy allocations include:

• $6.65 billion for the DOE Office of Science (+$390 million);
• $13.3 billion for DOE’s Applied Energy programs (+$379 million);
• $2.32 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs, the same as FY 2018;
• $260 million for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (+$12 million);
• $1.2 billion for Nuclear Energy R&D, the same as FY 2018;
• $727 million for Fossil Energy R&D (+$183,000); and
• $375 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (+22 million.)

The minibus package now heads to conference with the House to work out differences before it can advance to the President’s desk. 

To view the full text of HR 5895, visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5895/text