HR 9022: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027

HR 9022 in plain English: This bill provides fiscal year 2027 appropriations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy, and several independent agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It funds a wide range of activities including water infrastructure, energy programs, nuclear security, and environmental cleanup. The bill also sets rules and limits on how agencies may reprogram the appropriated funds.

Stated purpose

To fund federal energy and water development programs for fiscal year 2027, including Army Corps of Engineers water projects, Bureau of Reclamation operations, Department of Energy programs, and related independent agencies.

Key points

• Provides $6,255,000,000 for Army Corps of Engineers operation and maintenance, including navigation and channel work
• Provides $2,382,000,000 for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects
• Provides $1,675,000,000 for Bureau of Reclamation water and related natural resources projects
• Provides $470,000,000 for Mississippi River and Tributaries flood control and navigation work
• Raises a water recycling authorization cap from $50,000,000 to $177,500,000 and a desalination authorization cap from $30,000,000 to $106,500,000

Arguments supporters make

• Funding these programs keeps critical flood control, navigation, and water supply infrastructure maintained and updated, protecting lives and local economies.
• Investing in energy research, nuclear security, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve strengthens national security and long-term energy reliability.
• Continuing appropriations for environmental cleanup and non-defense nuclear activities fulfills existing legal obligations and protects communities from legacy contamination.

Arguments opponents make

• A large, wide-ranging appropriations bill can bundle together spending priorities that would not pass on their own merits, making it hard to scrutinize individual line items.
• Critics may argue that funding levels for certain programs, such as fossil fuel reserves or nuclear activities, should be reduced and redirected toward renewable energy or deficit reduction.
• A closed rule limiting floor amendments prevents members from proposing changes that could better reflect district needs or cut wasteful spending, reducing democratic accountability.

Tradeoffs

Concentrating a broad range of energy and water spending into a single bill speeds the appropriations process but limits Congress's ability to debate or adjust individual program funding levels. Funding some programs more generously necessarily means less money available for others, or adds to overall federal spending.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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