Appropriations Subcommittee Approves Fiscal Year 2023 Interior-Environment Funding Bill
* The following contains portions of a June 21, 2022, press release from Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota).
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, of which Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) is Vice Chair, today approved by voice vote the subcommittee’s Fiscal Year 2023 bill, which includes funding for programs within the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other agencies, including the Indian Health Service. The bill will next be considered by the full Appropriations Committee next week.
In total, the bill includes $44.8 billion in regular appropriations, an increase of $6.8 billion – 18 percent – above the FY 2022 enacted level. There is also an additional $2.55 billion of funding provided under the fire suppression cap adjustment.
The legislation also:
Honors the federal government’s responsibilities to Native American families by investing in tribal communities including through education and health care programs
A summary of the fiscal year 2023 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill is below. The text of the bill is here.
Bill Summary:
Department of the Interior (DOI) – The bill provides a total of $16.6 billion in discretionary appropriations for DOI, an increase of $2.1 billion above the FY 2022 enacted level. Of this amount, the bill includes:
$171 million for the Historic Preservation Fund. Within this amount, the bill includes $82 million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, $38 million for Save America’s Treasures competitive and project grants, $28 million for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories of underrepresented community civil rights, and $10 million for grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
$4.4 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Office of the Special Trustee, an increase of $778 million above the FY 2022 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill includes:
$2.2 billion for Bureau of Indian Affairs Operation of Indian Programs, an increase of $330 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$50 million for Indian Land Consolidation, an increase of $43 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$181 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs Construction, an increase of $34 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$14 million for the Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$1.2 billion for Bureau of Indian Education Operation of Indian Programs, an increase of $175 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$375 million to Bureau of Indian Education Construction, an increase of $111 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
Fully funds Contract Support Costs and Payments for Tribal Leases.
$111 million for the Office of the Special Trustee, an increase of $2 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$457 million for Departmental Offices, $55 million above the FY 2022 enacted level. Within this amount, the bill includes:
$129.7 million for the Office of Insular Affairs, an increase of $7.8 million above the FY 2022 enacted level and $4 million.
$45 million for the Energy Community Revitalization Program, an increase of $40 million above the FY 2022 enacted level. The principal focus in fiscal year 2023 is on hard rock mining.
Related Agencies
$8.1 billion for the Indian Health Service, an increase of $1.5 billion above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$5.7 billion for Health Services, an increase of $1 billion above the FY 2022 enacted level.
$1.3 billion for Health Facilities, an increase of $367 million above the FY 2022 enacted level.
Fully funds Contract Support Costs and Payments for Tribal Leases.
$207 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the
