APLU Hails Senate Passage of FY19 Energy & Water Appropriations Bill

Washington, DC – Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) President Peter McPherson today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

“We are very pleased that the Senate worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass a Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water Appropriations bill that includes much-needed increases for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The work of Subcommittee Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Feinstein to move this legislation forward is proof that bipartisanship can produce real results that strengthen our nation.

“The leaders and members of the subcommittee are to be commended for crafting a bill that rejects the administration’s massive proposed cut to the Office of Science and its call for ARPA-E funding to be eliminated altogether, which would undermine our nation’s energy research programs and its ability to maintain its global competitive edge. By providing additional investments in energy research, the Senate today sent a clear message that scientific research is essential for the development of new technologies that help pave the way long-term economic growth, new jobs, and enhanced national security.

“We are also pleased that the House Energy and Water funding bill includes an increase for the Office of Science nearly as strong as the Senate’s. However, the House-passed bill proposes to fund ARPA-E below current levels. We urge the yet to be appointed conference committee to agree to the Senate’s funding levels.”