The House today rejected an effort to eliminate the Department of Energy's renewable-energy and efficiency programs as debate began on the fiscal 2013 energy and water spending bill.

Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) offered the amendment to strip all $1.45 billion from DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Calling the office a waste of taxpayer money, he compared it to the department's backing of failed solar panel manufacturer Solyndra, whose $535 million loan guarantee was issued by a separate office within DOE.

"If we're serious about an 'all of the above' energy policy, we have got to stop using taxpayer money to pick winners and losers," McClintock said on the House floor this morning.

McClintock's amendment was one of 13 offered today as the full House began amending the $32.1 billion energy and water appropriations bill, which would fund DOE, the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies. Debate on the overall spending bill will continue Tuesday. A final vote is expected next week.

The McClintock amendment failed 113-275, with 107 Republicans voting against it. No Democrat supported the measure.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), who chairs the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, said the amendment went too far and noted that appropriators in their proposed bill had already cut about $400 million from EERE compared with current funding levels.

Subcommittee ranking member Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) opposed the measure based on "national security concerns," pointing to EERE work on electric vehicles and alternative fuels that are helping to reduce U.S. reliance on imported oil.

The House adopted four amendments, all minor efforts to shift money toward Army Corps coastal restoration projects or flood-control efforts. The successful amendments came from Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Steve King (R-Iowa) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Eight amendments were voted down, and one from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) to reduce salaries and administrative expenses within the covered agencies by 3 percent across the board fell to a point of order because it was improperly written.

In addition to McClintock's effort to eliminate EERE, several other Republicans attempted to carve narrower slices from the office's budget.

Broun sought to cut $335 million, with the intention of eliminating all funding for vehicle technology, with an amendment that failed on a voice vote.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) proposed eliminating $74 million from EERE's advanced-manufacturing program, highlighting concerns over ineffective manufacturing centers and worries that advancements spurred by the program may create jobs in other countries. That amendment failed 140-245, with one Democrat voting in favor and 81 Republicans voting against.

Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.) sought to shift $15 million from EERE to DOE's Office of Science, saying the Obama administration puts too much focus on "applied" science aimed at promoting specific clean energy technologies rather than basic research at national labs. The amendment would have reduced EERE's budget by another $15 million and applied the savings to deficit reduction. It failed 130-256, with five supportive Democrats and 93 opposing Republicans.

Meanwhile, Democrats tried and failed to boost EERE's budget.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) sought to shift $10 million from DOE's administrative account to boost EERE solar-energy programs. The amendment failed 183-200, with 26 Republicans backing it and nine Democrats voting against.

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) offered an amendment that would have added $180 million to EERE to restore funding to aid state weatherization programs by reducing spending on nuclear weapons programs. The amendment failed 148-236, with seven Republicans in support and 26 Democrats voting against.

Finally, Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) offered an amendment to shift $50 million from DOE's fossil fuels account to EERE, aimed at boosting research on electric vehicles and battery technologies. Frelinghuysen and Visclosky both opposed the measure, saying it would be imprudent to further reduce the fossil account and noting that EERE's electric vehicle program already was funded at about fiscal 2012 levels. The Hahn amendment failed 139-245, with support from six Republicans and opposition from 35 Democrats.

The most dramatic and extended debate of the day came over an amendment from Reps. James Moran (D-Va.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.) aimed at stripping language from the bill that blocks the Army Corps from enforcing guidance on the Clean Water Act's jurisdiction (Greenwire, June 1). That measure failed 152-237, with support from six Republicans and opposition from 23 Democrats.