House appropriators on Wednesday advanced a $35.4 billion bill that would fund energy and water development for fiscal year 2016.
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said the measure, along with another that would fund military construction and veterans’ benefits, is on track to hit the House floor next week.
The energy and water bill provides a $1.2 billion increase above the 2015 funding level, though it is $633 million below President Obama’s request.
The legislation provides funding for Energy Department programs, the Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains and develops the nation’s water systems, and other related agencies.
{mosads}During Wednesday’s markup of the bill, several GOP-sponsored amendments were adopted. Republicans, however, rejected amendments from Democrats that would have stripped out controversial “riders” on environmental policy.
Republicans defeated an amendment from Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) that would have removed provisions that would undermine Obama’s executive orders related to the national ocean policy and restrict the federal government from redefining its jurisdiction over clean waterways, among other things.
Republicans also rejected an amendment from Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) dealing with corporate tax dodging that would prevent funding from being used to enter into contracts with companies that are chartered in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Appropriations panel, criticized Republicans for adding in riders that the Obama administration threatened to veto in earlier spending bills.
“I’m truly amazed that you would frankly willfully go down this path again,” she said. “I’m disturbed that you would seek to roll back ocean policy and other environmental protections.”