Senator Lankford Supports Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, Which Includes a ‘Federal Fumble’ Proposal

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today supported the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2028), which includes a proposal from his government waste report, “Federal Fumbles: 100 ways the government dropped the ball.” Today’s Energy and Water bill is the first of the 12 appropriations bills that Congress is expected to consider this year.

“I’m glad the Senate has begun to finally pass appropriations bills in an open process,” said Lankford. “This is the first time this appropriations bill has passed the Senate since 2009. To avoid last-minute continuing resolutions, backroom deals and omnibus bills, we must move bills through a regular order appropriations process. By working these funding bills separately, more members are able to participate in the debate and a transparent process allows more people to voice their opinions. This Energy and Water appropriations bill provides necessary funding for the US Army Corps of Engineers to meet their critical infrastructure mission and it includes needed reforms to the National Nuclear Security Administration to prevent massive cost overruns that have plagued the agency in the past.”

Lankford has worked to include a provision to direct the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to routinely assess performance on major projects in an effort to identify problems in cost and timeline estimates early and streamline project management accordingly. This request was included in Lankford’s federal government waste and solutions report released last year, “Federal Fumbles: 100 ways the government dropped the ball” (page 94). 

The bill will also fund the Inland Waterways Trust Fund and Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to meet the targets put in place by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. This will ensure that money collected as user fees is directed to the upkeep and development of waterways infrastructure. 

Lankford is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves on the following subcommittees: Energy and Water Development; Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies; and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. 

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