Granger Remarks on Interior and Environment FY21 Subcommittee Markup

Jul 7, 2020
Statements

I want to thank Chair Mccollum for presenting the fiscal year 2021 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill today. 

I also want to thank the Ranking Member, Mr. Joyce, for his leadership on this subcommittee.

I appreciate the work you’ve done on many important programs supported by the Interior bill.

This bill funds priorities and concerns of Members on both sides of the aisle and does many good things for the preservation of our natural resources.

For example, the bill prioritizes funding to maintain our national parks and support efforts to stop the trafficking of endangered species.

In addition, the bill helps local communities across the country with education and safety needs, particularly in Indian country.

Even though the bill funds many shared priorities, there are several policy items that raise concern.

The bill eliminates several long-standing, common-sense provisions that have had bipartisan support for many years.

Instead, the bill adds many new poison pill riders and directives that would limit domestic energy and mineral production and prevent the Administration from reducing regulatory burdens.

Just as in previous years, we can expect the Administration to oppose these and other controversial policy riders, and we will have to address them as this bill moves forward so it can eventually be signed into law.

Additionally, I am concerned about spending across all the fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills and, in particular, the funding levels proposed in this bill.

This bill includes $15 billion in new emergency spending, including components of the infrastructure bill that was pushed through the House last week without Republican involvement.

I did not support that bill because it was a departure from years of bipartisan work on infrastructure priorities, and I cannot support this additional spending today.

We must find ways to rein in federal spending while addressing our nation’s most pressing needs.

I look forward to resolving these policy and funding differences as we move through the appropriations process. 

In closing, I want to recognize all of the subcommittee Members for their dedication to the important programs in the bill. 

I also want to thank my staff – Kristin Clarkson and Darren Benjamin – as well as the Majority staff. 

Thank you, Madam Chair, I yield back.