Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mrs. NOEM. I thank the chairman and the ranking member and all of the committee staff for their hard work on this bill.

Mr. Chairman, one of the most important things during the appropriations process is making tough decisions and identifying priorities that need funding. One area that is specifically important is providing water throughout the country, including in rural areas.

In my State and across the West, there are critical water infrastructure projects that are waiting to be funded. They were promised to be funded by the Federal Government years ago, and construction is underway on many of these projects.

Many communities have put in more than their fair share of funding. The States have done so as well. The only entity that has failed to follow through on that commitment is the Federal Government.

Water is one of our most basic needs, and we need to ensure that we have safe and affordable drinking water across this country.

For rural areas, it is also a jobs issue. Without the completion of rural water projects, businesses aren't able to create much-needed jobs, and local economies suffer. Unfortunately, year after year, the funding for these projects continues to decline under the President's budget requests.

We have the opportunity here today to make some meaningful progress on these projects and ensure that the Federal Government follows through on its previous commitments. Even with my amendment, the funding for rural water projects is still below what it was for fiscal year 2014.

My bill increases the funding for rural water projects, and it does not increase net budget outlays. We need to support critical infrastructure and essential access to water, and I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Daines).

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Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Chairman, a couple of facts to follow up on the gentlelady's comments.

What we are trying to do is to get clean drinking water to individuals, to people, where the Federal Government has failed to follow through on commitments that it has made previously.

The reason that we have already plussed up some of these dollars is that the President's budget requests have been so low over the last few years, so we have had to do that in order to try to meet the need. Water projects still, even if my amendment is adopted, will receive less than they did in 2014.

I certainly understand your concerns, as I am a supporter of an all-of-the-above American energy supply as well, but we have people waiting for clean drinking water. That should be a priority, and this amendment should be adopted.

Last year, it was voice adopted because everybody recognized the importance of making sure that people in this country could get clean drinking water. They at least should have that basic privilege.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I ask for everyone's support on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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