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Today the Senate Appropriations Committee met to markup the FY06 Agriculture and Rural Development, Commerce and Science, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills.  Regarding the Energy Title programs, subcommittee funding levels were maintained by the full committee. 

Funding had been fully restored in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development for Section 9006, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Grant Program, at $23 million.  The Administration’s FY06 request had slashed the program’s authorized level of $23 million down to $10 million. The Committee maintained the Administration’s cuts to Sec. 9008, the Biomass Research and Development Act, at $12 million (a cut of $2 million from authorized levels) as well as a further cut to Sec. 6401, the Value-Added Producer Grant Program, from $15.5 million last year to $15 million for FY06. 

In previous action, the House approved full funding levels for Sec. 9006 of $23 million; $12 million for the Biomass R&D Program ($2 million below Farm Bill mandated levels); and $90 million for the Sec. 9010 CCC Bioenergy Program (a major cut from the $150 million mandatory level, but above the Administration’s request of $50 million). Lastly, in a surprise move by House Agriculture Appropriations Chairman Bonilla on the House floor, the long beleaguered Sec. 6401 Value-Added Producer Grant Program (authorized at $40 million but consistently appropriated at less than $16 million) was funded above its authorized level to $55.5 million with a $40 million off-set from the Common Computing Environment account.  It may be difficult to maintain this increase in conference.

Overall funding for Agriculture Appropriations was increased above FY05 levels by $516 million.  This was accomplished through a $460 million one-time savings from FY05 funds plus $177 million in user fees to be provided by the Administration. Subcommittee Chairman Bennett (R-UT) proudly said that this bill was within budget and, “if any of my colleagues would ask for one more dime, they will need an off-set.”