House appropriators approved their spending bill for energy and water programs Wednesday after considering amendments on data centers, rising energy bills, grant terminations and “Green New Deal research.”
The Appropriations Committee advanced the fiscal 2027 Energy-Water bill — drafted by Republicans and opposed by Democrats still seeking a bipartisan product — on a 34-25 vote. It’s not clear when it will be considered on the House floor.
The $58.5 billion legislation would fund the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers, and multiple independent agencies and commissions. It proposes to shore up DOE’s science and artificial intelligence initiatives and to boost funding for nuclear weapons and nuclear energy.
Nondefense programs, including renewable energy initiatives, would see a drop in funding. The bill would siphon $2.8 billion in unobligated funds from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law away from various energy accounts and toward nuclear energy programs.
