GOP split leaves $1.5 billion uncut in Energy and Water spending bill

But the House rejected McClintock’s amendment in a 113-275 vote, in which 113 Republicans voted for it but 107 Republicans joined every Democrat in opposition.

{mosads}The House also killed an amendment from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) to reduce the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account by $74 million. Members killed that amendment in a 140-245 vote, which split Republicans 139-81.

Another amendment, from Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.), to take $30 million from that account and use half of that for deficit reduction was killed 130-256. The GOP split 125-90 in that vote.

And earlier in the day, Republicans and Democrats teamed up to defeat a proposal from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) to cut administrative salaries by 3 percent, which would have saved $27 million.

Members did accept a proposal from Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) to save $400,000 by cutting funds from the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Department of Interior. That amendment cut $1 million from Fish and Wildlife and used nearly $600,000 for maintenance of the Missouri River. The House approved that amendment 203-185 — the only vote in favor of using money from the bill for deficit reduction.

Throughout the Friday morning debate on amendments, senior Republicans and Democrats argued that the House Appropriations Committee made deep cuts to the Department of Energy and other agencies covered by the bill, H.R. 5325. But while some of the accounts within the bill have been cut, the overall bill spends $87.5 million more than current-year levels, and would spend $32.1 billion in 2013.

The House was not expected to finish the bill Friday, but was likely to do that early next week. Other amendment vote results for the bill follow here:

• From Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), to move $10 million from Department of Energy salaries to the Army Corps of Engineers construction account. Passed 216-177.

• From Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), to strike language that blocks the Army Corps of Engineers from updating guidance on federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. Failed 152-237.

• From Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), to increase the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account by $10 million, taking from Department of Energy administrative accounts. Failed 183-200.

• From Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), to transfer $180 million from the National Nuclear Security Administration to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account for weatherization assistance to states and other purposes. Failed 148-236.

• From Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.), to cut fossil fuel energy research by $100 million and add $50 million to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account. Failed 139-245.