2014: Schweikert Voted To Cut Nearly $60 Million From Energy Department Nuclear Energy Programs And Nuclear Regulatory Commission Salaries And Expenses. In July 2014, Schweikert voted for an amendment to the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill that, according to the its stated purpose, "[would have] reduce[d] funds for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs by $22 million; Nuclear Energy Programs by $9,810,000; Fossil Energy Research and Development by $30,935,000; Department of Energy Departmental Administration by $9,551,000; Salaries and Expenses for Nuclear Regulatory Commission by $49,062,000 and to apply $121,358,000 to the spending reduction account." The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 129 to 290. [House Vote 379, 7/10/14; Congress.Gov, H. Amdt. 993 (113th Congress), Viewed 8/15/14; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 993; Congressional Actions, H.R. 4923]
To Control and Fund Federal Agencies And Programs, Congress Often Follows A Two-Step Process: It Authorizes Appropriations For A Defined Agency Or Program, And Then Separately Allocates Actual Funding Among Authorized Programs In An Appropriations Act. According to the Congressional Research Service, "A primary avenue for exercising Congress's power of the purse is the authorization and appropriation of federal spending to carry out government activities. While the power over appropriations is granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution, the authorization-appropriation process is derived from House and Senate rules. The formal process consists of two sequential steps: (1) enactment of an authorization measure that may create or continue an agency, program, or activity as well as authorize the subsequent enactment of appropriations; and (2) enactment of appropriations to provide funds for the authorized agency, program, or activity." [CRS Report #RS20371, 11/26/12]
Amendment's Sponsor Said He Was Trying To Eliminate Some Of The Bill's $24 Billion In Funding For Programs Congress Had Not Separately Authorized. According to the Congressional Record, "[E]ver since 1835, the rules of the House have forbidden spending money except for purposes authorized by law. Yet last year, the eleven appropriations bills reported out of the House Appropriations Committee contained over $350 billion in spending on unauthorized programs. The rule against unauthorized spending cannot be enforced because it is always waived by the resolutions that bring these appropriations to the floor. The bill before us today contains $24 billion in such unauthorized spending for programs that have not been reviewed by the authorizing committees since as far back as 1980. That was Jimmy Carter's last year in office. Now, I am sure that some of these programs are valuable and worthy of taxpayer dollars, but surely, others are not. The fact that they have not been authorized in as much as 35 years ought to warn us to be at least a little more careful about continuing to fund them." [Congressional Record, 6/9/14]
2014: Schweikert Voted To Cut $3.1 Billion In Energy Department Funding For Fossil Fuel Research And Development, Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy And Energy Efficiency. In July 2014, Schweikert voted for an amendment to the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, "would decrease by $3.1 billion the amount provided in the bill for energy efficiency and renewable energy activities, Energy Department nuclear energy activities and fossil energy research and development collectively and transfer the savings to the bill's spending reduction account." The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 97 to 321. [House Vote 377, 7/9/14; Congressional Quarterly, 7/9/14; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 992; Congressional Actions, H.R. 4923]
Amendment's Sponsor Argued Funding Was Simply "Corporate Welfare" That Subsidized Private Companies R&D Budgets, Distorting The Energy Industry While Not Even Making The Resulting Research Public. According to the Congressional Record, the amendment's sponsor, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), said, "[T]his amendment requires energy companies of all kinds to fund their own research and development programs, rather than continuing to require taxpayers to subsidize this activity to the tune of $3.1 billion. If we are serious about an all-of-the-above energy policy, we have got to stop using taxpayer money to pick winners and losers in the energy industry and start requiring every energy technology to compete on its own merits. For too long, we have suffered from the conceit that politicians can make better energy investments with taxpayer money than investors can with their own money. It is this conceit that has produced a long line of scandals, best illustrated by the Solyndra fiasco. This research doesn't even benefit the common good by placing these discoveries in the public domain. Any discoveries, although they are financed by the public, are owned lock, stock, and barrel by the private companies that received these public funds. Public costs, private benefit -- that is called corporate welfare. That is what these energy subsidies amount to. My amendment protects taxpayers from being forced into paying the research and development budgets of these companies. It gets government out of the energy business and requires all energy companies and all energy technologies to compete equally on their own merits and with their own funds." [Congressional Record, 7/9/14]
Amendment Opponent Argued It Eliminated "Strategic Investments For Our Energy Independence," Including Research Into Using Coal In Electricity-Producing Fuel Cells. According to the Congressional Record, House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) said, "The bill cuts energy efficiency and renewable energy by $113 million below last year's level and $528 million below the budget request. The fossil and nuclear energy programs received modest increases of $31 million and $10 million, respectively. The increase to fossil energy will support research into how heat can be more efficiently converted into electricity, how water can be more efficiently used in power plants, and how coal can be used to produce electrical power through fuel cells. The increase to nuclear energy will accommodate a $10 million increase to support base physical and cybersecurity activities at the Idaho National Laboratory to protect the Nation's nuclear energy materials and a range of national security programs at the NNSA, Homeland Security, and other Federal agencies. Although my colleague asserts that the amendment would keep the government from intervening in the private markets, these applied energy programs are strategic investments for our energy independence." [Congressional Record, 7/9/14]
2024: Schweikert Voted To Revamp The Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In February 2024, Schweikert voted for , according to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill, as amended, that would revise the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) mission, modify nuclear regulatory processes and increase hiring and retention flexibilities within the NRC. Specifically, it would require the NRC to evaluate how to improve the efficiency of its processes, including environmental reviews, and to regularly review and assess its licensing performance metrics. It would require the NRC to establish expedited processes for licensing new nuclear reactors based on a previous design and located on the same site as an existing reactor. It also would mandate the commission to establish guidance for building nuclear reactors on brownfields sites, and for licensing microreactors and fusion reactors. The measure would modify the NRC's fee structure and authorize grants to cover the fee costs for certain new nuclear reactors as well as allow the commission to directly recruit and hire employees, increase compensation to retain employees and grant hiring bonuses. It also would include provisions intended to spur the production of nuclear energy both globally and domestically, and to ensure that the U.S. becomes a major participant in assisting other nations with the development of their nuclear power resources." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 365 to 36. [House Vote 55, 2/28/24; Congressional Quarterly, 2/28/24; Congressional Actions, H.R. 6544]
2021: Schweikert Voted For An Amendment That Would Express An Apology On Behalf Of Congress To Residents In New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, And Other States That Have Suffered Exposure To Radiation From Nuclear Testing. In September 2021, Schweikert voted for an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide an apology on behalf of Congress to individuals in New Mexico, Utah, Idaho and other specified states and territories who were exposed to radiation from nuclear testing." The vote was on adoption of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 240-185. [House Vote 291, 9/23/21; Congressional Quarterly, 9/23/21; Congressional Actions, H.Amdt. 126; Congressional Actions, H.R. 4350]
2024: Schweikert Voted To Reduce Regulatory Hurdles And To Increase International Cooperation For For Nuclear Energy. In May 2024, Schweikert voted for , according to Congressional Quarterly, "the bill, as amended, that would direct the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Energy Department to take steps to reduce regulatory hurdles to the development and commercial deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and related technologies. It also would streamline NRC licensing and review procedures, increase international cooperation on nuclear energy with U.S. partners and improve NRC workforce hiring and retention. The bill also would direct the NRC to review and update its licensing procedures for next generation reactor designs, including micro-reactors, fusion reactors and its licensing and review for plants on reclaimed brownfield sites. The bill also would grant the NRC direct hire ability and allow the commission to pay employees a more competitive salary for certain scientific and technical positions. The bill also would direct both the NRC and DOE to take steps to improve U.S. nuclear technology and information sharing with allies and partner countries, and permits foreign governments and companies to invest in U.S. nuclear power plants." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 393 to 13. [House Vote 194, 5/8/24; Congressional Quarterly, 5/8/24; Congressional Actions, S. 870]
2019: Schweikert Voted Against The FY 2020 Minibus Appropriations Bill, Which Provided No Funding For The Yucca Mountain Waste Repository. In December 2019, Schweikert voted against the FY 2020 minibus spending bill, which represented 8 of the 12 appropriations bills. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill includes no funding for the Yucca Mountain Waste Repository in Nevada, nor does it include any funding for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel." The vote was a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 297-120. The Senate later passed the bill and the President signed the bill into law. [House Vote 689, 12/17/19; Congressional Quarterly, 12/17/19; Congressional Actions, H.R.1865]
2018: Schweikert Voted To Effectively Authorizing The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. In May 2018, Schweikert voted for legislation that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "require[d] a decision within 30 months of enactment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the licensing process and construction relating to the nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain. It would also [have] authorize[d] the establishment of interim storage facilities to be operated by the Energy Department until the repository is finished, and would additionally authorize a rail line to connect Yucca Mountain with the national rail system. The bill would also [have] increase[d] from 70,000 metric tons to 110,000, the allowable storage for the repository and provide additional financing mechanisms for the Yucca Mountain project as well as the compensation to Nevada for hosting the national nuclear waste repository." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 340 to 72. The Senate took no substantive action on the legislation. [House Vote 179, 5/10/18; Congressional Quarterly, 5/10/18; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3053]
2013: Schweikert Was Absent During A Vote On Diverting $25 Million From Yucca Mountain To Energy Department Science Programs. In July 2013, Schweikert missed a vote on an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "reduce[d] by $25 million the amount provided for activities at Yucca Mountain nuclear-waste repository, offset with an increase of the same amount for Energy Department science activities." The underlying legislation was an FY 2014 energy and water appropriations bill. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 81 to 335. [House Vote 325, 7/9/13; Congressional Quarterly, 7/9/13; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 265; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2609]