"The House this week is scheduled to take up a bill to fund the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and related agencies that proposes steep spending cuts to clean energy and research programs."
"The bill's passage is almost guaranteed in the GOP-controlled lower chamber, but it remains to be seen whether the House and Senate will be able to agree on a unified vision to fund energy and water programs -- or any other parts of the federal government -- before the next fiscal year begins Oct. 1. If they cannot agree, which seems likely, the federal government would shut down or be funded through a continuing resolution that maintains current spending levels.
There is a more than $4 billion gap between the two chambers' energy and water bills, a reflection of a larger split over how or whether to account for automatic spending cuts known as sequestration. The $30.4 billion House bill will be before the Rules Committee this evening, setting it up for consideration on the House floor as soon as tomorrow. Appropriations bills typically are considered under open rules, allowing members to offer an unlimited number of germane amendments, and debate is likely to last at least a day or two."
Nick Juliano, Hannah Northey, and Annie Snider report for Evironment & Energy Daily July 8, 2013.
