Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today led Republican opposition to legislation funding the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment. Today’s floor debate was Simpson’s first as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee. The bill passed by a vote of 254-173.

“I’ll be the first to admit that my decision to vote NO was not reached easily,” said Simpson. “There are a number of aspects to this bill that I strongly support, and I recognize the need to provide adequate funding for our nation’s public lands and water infrastructure.  However, given its excessive overall spending level and large increases in programs without ensuring that there are clearly defined goals or sufficient processes in place to measure the return on our investment, I simply could not vote for it.”

While the bill includes several provisions supported by Simpson and most House Republicans, the legislation, which increases funding within the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction by $4.7 billion—or 17 percent—over last year’s level, simply contains too much unsustainable spending at a time our nation is facing a record deficit.

“In particular, I question the need for a $10.6 billion budget for the EPA—a 38 percent increase over last year,” Simpson said.  “Taken together with the EPA funding in the stimulus package and the FY2009 funding bill enacted in February, the EPA will receive over $25 BILLION in this calendar year alone.  I have strong reservations about the wisdom of giving any agency this much money in such a short timeframe.”

The bill increases funding for land management agencies within the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, including:

·                     A 6% increase for the United States Forest Service over 2009 levels;

·                     An 8% increase for the Bureau of Land Management over 2009 levels;

·                     An 8% increase for the National Park Service over 2009 levels.

“While I remain concerned about the overall spending levels in the bill, I am pleased that the bill provides needed funding for wildfire suppression and hazardous fuels reduction,” said Simpson.  “The cost of fighting catastrophic fires is now eating up half of the Forest Service’s budget, and I believe that this bill takes the first step to addressing this problem.

In addition, the legislation includes $420 million for climate change programs, including $17 million for an expansion of the “Greenhouse Gas Registry.”  This expansion will place costly new mandates and burdensome regulations on small businesses.