House squeaks through energy and water spending bill

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Politico or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a $57.3 billion energy and water spending bill by a 214–213 vote, marking a key step in the Republican-led push to reshape federal energy priorities
• The measure only passed after two GOP lawmakers flipped their votes from “no” to “yes”
• The bill slashes funding for renewable energy while boosting nuclear power and water infrastructure

🔭 The context:
• The bill covers funding for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation, cutting overall spending by $766 million from current levels
• Internal GOP divisions nearly sank the bill, with four Republicans voting against it and two others switching sides at the last minute
• Democrats unanimously opposed the measure, citing concerns over clean energy cuts

🌍 Why it matters for the planet:
• The bill deprioritizes renewable energy programs at a time when accelerating clean energy investment is seen as critical for climate targets
• It redirects federal resources toward nuclear energy, critical mineral development, and water resource projects, reflecting a Republican energy strategy focused on reliability and resource extraction over decarbonization

⏭️ What’s next:
• The Senate has not yet released its version of the energy and water spending bill, but it's expected to propose far smaller cuts
• With the September 30 government funding deadline looming, this House bill is seen more as a negotiating stance than a final deal

💬 One quote:
“I’m slightly more satisfied about the overall direction of where we’re headed than I was about an hour ago,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who flipped his vote to help the bill pass

📈 One stat:
The bill sets federal energy and water program funding at $766 million below current enacted levels

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