Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, when Republicans took the majority in the Senate last January, we were determined to get the Senate working again.

By 2014, the Democratic-controlled Senate had largely ground to a halt. Serious legislation had been replaced by political messaging, and the Democratic leadership refused to allow votes on amendments. In short, despite Democratic control of the Senate, Democrats and Republicans alike were shut out of the legislative process. Republicans were determined to change that.

Since we took control of the Senate in 2015, we have focused on taking up substantial legislation that addresses the challenges facing the country. We have made sure individual appropriations bills get written in committees with input from Senators of both parties, and we have opened the Senate floor to debate and amendment.

Why is that important? Because an open legislative process in the Senate means all Americans get represented. When legislation is written in the open using the committee process and Senators have a chance to highlight their constituents' concerns, the final bill is a lot more likely to reflect the American people's priorities.

One of our most basic responsibilities as Members of Congress is to pass appropriations bills. Appropriations bills give Senators and Congressmen a chance to take a look at where taxpayer dollars are being spent and how we can spend this money more efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, too often Congress ends up skipping the appropriations process and rolling a number of the appropriations bills into one giant spending bill. That means we lose the opportunity to closely examine our spending priorities and make sure we are spending money wisely.

Since we took control of the Senate, Republicans have been determined to make sure Congress takes the appropriations process seriously. We have made sure individual appropriations bills are developed in committee, where Senators of both parties have the opportunity to help develop the bill and make sure their constituents' concerns are heard.

This week Congress is taking up the Energy and Water appropriations bill. This legislation funds a number of priorities: rural water projects, critical infrastructure projects, nuclear deterrence efforts, energy research, flood control, and environmental cleanup, to name a few. I am particularly pleased that this bill funds important projects--like the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System--that will help provide communities with access to steady, reliable water sources.

I am also pleased that this bill invests in next-generation, high- energy physics research, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, which could revolutionize our understanding of some of the most fundamental elements of our universe. This funding demonstrates continued U.S. commitment to a project that will help train the next generation of scientists and engineers, retain and attract the best scientific minds to the United States, and garner additional investment from global partners. I am proud that South Dakota's Sanford Underground Research Facility will continue to play a leading role in this major international scientific effort.

The Energy and Water appropriations bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee with the unanimous--unanimous--support of Democrats and Republicans with a 30-to-0 vote. I am hoping it will receive the same strong bipartisan support on the Senate floor. This bill will boost our Nation's energy security, making our economy more competitive, and promote energy innovation. It will help us produce more and pay less for energy.

This legislation is an important first step in our commitment to restore order to the appropriations process, and I look forward to consideration of additional appropriations bills on the Senate floor in the coming weeks.

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