Fiscal Year 2027 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill

Appropriations Bill MarkupsHouse Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies · May 21, 2026 · 119th Congress
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies met to mark up its Fiscal Year 2027 funding bill, covering the Department of the Interior, EPA, U.S. Begins at ▶ 0:12:13
Transcript
Highlights

Title

House Subcommittee Markup of FY27 Interior-Environment Spending Bill

Purpose

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies met to mark up its Fiscal Year 2027 funding bill, covering the Department of the Interior, EPA, U.S. Forest Service, and Indian Country programs. Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-ME), along with Full Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Full Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), gave opening statements before the subcommittee voted along party lines to advance the $38.9 billion bill to full committee. Begins at▶ 0:12:13

Who spoke

• Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID)▶ 0:12:13: Opened the markup, said the bill totals $38.9 billion▶ 0:13:33, detailed tribal funding including $8.7 billion for Indian Health Services and $1.5 billion for Bureau of Indian Education▶ 0:14:15, and noted the EPA is cut nearly $1.8 billion, or 20%, below enacted levels▶ 0:15:39; later suggested moving Indian water rights settlements into the judgment fund▶ 0:34:33.

• Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-ME)▶ 0:17:49: Opposed the bill's 20% EPA cut, warning it would cripple the agency's ability to fight climate change and hold polluters accountable▶ 0:18:16; criticized administration spending on the White House ballroom, a National Mall arch, and other projects funded partly through arts/humanities grants▶ 0:19:03▶ 0:19:33; opposed a proposed 35% ($72 million) cut to both the NEA and NEH▶ 0:20:26; said the bill does nothing to curb $2 billion in payouts to companies for abandoning offshore wind projects▶ 0:21:35.

• Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Full Committee Chairman▶ 0:22:51: Praised the bill's focus on land stewardship, domestic energy, and wildfire response▶ 0:23:16, and highlighted increased funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Service▶ 0:24:01.

• Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Full Committee Ranking Member▶ 0:25:01: Opposed the bill, saying it cuts EPA enforcement nearly in half▶ 0:26:26; cited a $576 million cut to water infrastructure funding, including $86 million from state clean-water grants▶ 0:27:46; criticized the 35% ($72 million each) cut to the NEA and NEH as funding "vanity projects"▶ 0:28:18▶ 0:29:06.

• Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)▶ 0:30:04: Supported increases to Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Education, and Indian Health Service funding▶ 0:30:32 but said she could not support the bill due to cuts to other agencies and partisan riders▶ 0:31:26; raised concerns about a 20% cut to the Office of International Programs and Trade affecting Lacey Act enforcement▶ 0:31:57; argued Payment in Lieu of Taxes belongs in a tax bill, not the Interior bill▶ 0:32:47; raised concerns about removing buffalo from grazing lands in favor of cattle▶ 0:33:41.

• Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT)▶ 0:35:00: Said that allowing buffalo to graze on public land would require changing the Taylor Grazing Act, and that leased BLM land is designated for food production▶ 0:35:00.

• Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV)▶ 0:35:56: Declined to give an opening statement and yielded back▶ 0:35:56.

• Vice Chair Lloyd▶ 0:36:29: Moved that the bill be favorably reported to the full committee▶ 0:36:29.

Key moments

• Chairman Simpson said the bill totals $38.9 billion and cuts the EPA by nearly $1.8 billion, or 20%, below the FY26 enacted level▶ 0:15:39.

• Simpson said the bill funds community project funding for almost 1,200 EPA clean and drinking water infrastructure projects across 316 members▶ 0:16:26.

• Pingree and DeLauro both criticized administration spending on a White House ballroom, a National Mall arch, and other projects, saying they divert money that could support arts and humanities grants▶ 0:19:03▶ 0:20:01▶ 0:29:06; DeLauro invoked "let them eat cake" in describing the contrast with working families' needs▶ 0:25:57.

• DeLauro said the bill cuts water infrastructure funding by $576 million, including an $86 million cut to state clean-drinking-water and wastewater programs▶ 0:27:46.

• Both DeLauro and Pingree said the bill would cut NEA and NEH funding by $72 million each, a 35% reduction▶ 0:20:26▶ 0:28:18.

• McCollum proposed removing Payment in Lieu of Taxes provisions from the Interior bill and drafting separate tax-bill legislation, calling current placement inappropriate▶ 0:32:47.

• McCollum and Zinke sparred lightly over federal buffalo policy, with Zinke arguing that grazing on leased BLM land is governed by the Taylor Grazing Act's food-production mandate▶ 0:33:41▶ 0:35:00.

• The subcommittee approved a motion to favorably report the bill on a recorded vote of 7 ayes to 5 nays▶ 0:37:57.

• Simpson noted the full committee markup is scheduled for June 3▶ 0:38:17.

Metadata

CommitteeHouse Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Chamber / CongressHouse · 119th Congress
DateMay 21, 2026
TypeMarkup
Witnesses
(none listed in event metadata)
Videoyoutube
Transcript166 caption blocks · 10,919 words · 1:36:49 runtime
EventCongress.gov 119323