Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) and Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, released statements following passage of H.R. 4553, the FY25 Energy and Water Appropriations Act. The bill passed by a vote of 214-213.
“American energy dominance is all about utilizing the resources we already know and exploring the technologies that will power the future – this legislation prioritizes both of these approaches,” said Chairman LaMalfa. “By prioritizing our nation’s nuclear and geothermal industries, we are promoting the delivery of cheaper, and more reliable power to every household and business. Farmers and rural Americans will also see direct benefits from the down payments we are authorizing to emphasize construction projects whose primary purpose is water supply and drought response. Lastly, the bill we passed today will bolster our national security by developing more efficient methods of critical mineral extraction and separation, which will reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries. I want to thank Representative Fleischmann for his leadership on this legislation.”
“The cornerstones of President Trump’s and Republicans’ plan to renew America are abundant energy, a strong military, and rebuilt, modern infrastructure projects that replace our crumbling, dated national infrastructure,” said Chairman Fleischmann. “The passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water bill strengthens America by investing in the modernization of our national security and nuclear deterrent, securing American global leadership in new nuclear, funding waterways infrastructure from coast to coast, and reducing our reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals. As Chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee, I am proud that my bill does important work to revitalize America while being a responsible steward of the American people’s tax dollars. I thank the Trump Administration and my colleagues for their close collaboration and strong support for my bill and urge the Senate to quickly follow the House’s lead and pass my FY26 Energy and Water bill.”
Some of the provisions of H.R. 4553 are:
Funding for small modular reactor and advanced reactor demonstration projects
Expanding the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s capacity to review and approve new nuclear reactors
Investing in geothermal energy, a key component of the West’s energy mix
Allocating resources for cybersecurity protection to secure our electric grid
Bolstering development in mining production technologies to increase domestic mining, especially critical minerals, and reduce reliance on foreign sources
Providing an additional $201 million for water storage projects authorized by the WIIN Act, such as Sites Reservoir
Prohibiting sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the Chinese Communist Party
