08.01.24

Senate Committee Approves FY 2025 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Appropriations today approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, providing support to advance America’s energy independence and improve water infrastructure across the country.

The measure, which was advanced by a unanimous vote of 28-0, provides $61.5 billion in discretionary funding, including $35 billion in defense funding and $26.5 billion in non-defense funding.

“The Energy and Water Development bill will help strengthen America’s energy independence, supporting an all-of-the-above approach to energy research, development, and deployment efforts,” said Senator Collins.  “The bill provides strong support for our national defense by meeting the needs of our nuclear deterrence posture during this period of growing geopolitical tensions.  At home, the bill funds critical Army Corps of Engineers water infrastructure projects, which provide for safe navigation and flood control.

“I’m thankful to my colleagues for working together to move the Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill forward.  The bill supports America’s energy independence and nuclear defense capabilities while keeping a strong emphasis on the defense resources that keep our country safe and strong.  It also makes key investments in the Army Corps of Engineers’ water infrastructure projects, which will help prevent flooding in Louisiana and other vulnerable communities,” said Senator John Kennedy, Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.

Bill Highlights:

Army Corps of Engineers: $10.3 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program to reduce flood risk, increase the resiliency of our coastlines, improve the navigability of our ports, and restore ecosystems that have been impacted by Corps projects.

Department of the Interior: $2 billion for the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation to help manage, develop, and protect water resources in the western United States.

Department of Energy Defense Programs: $34.6 billion

  • Weapons Activities: $20 billion for stockpile sustainment and modernization activities, plutonium pit production, and warhead life extension programs.
  • Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile: $70 million to fund the research and development of a sea-launched variant of the W80-4 cruise missile warhead.
  • Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation: $2.6 billion for the Department’s worldwide efforts to secure nuclear materials and keep weapons from falling into the wrong hands.  The bill also supports domestic and international nuclear incident response capabilities.
  • Naval Reactors: $2.1 billion to continue support for the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet, and to provide robust funding for research and development for our future generations of nuclear-powered warships.  

Department of Energy Non-Defense Programs: $17.7 billion

  • Nuclear Energy: $1.7 billion for small modular reactors and for advanced nuclear fuel availability to help reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign sources for uranium.
  • Fossil Energy and Carbon Management: $865 million to support research and development for carbon management technologies, as well as the research, operations, and infrastructure at the National Energy Technology Laboratory.
  • Office of Science: $8.6 billion to support cutting-edge research at our national laboratories.

Independent Agencies: $526 million, including funding for Regional Commissions to support economic development throughout the country.

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