Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (HI-01) reported that his Appropriations Committee today approved two Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 bills: the Legislative Branch and the Energy and Water funding measures.
The Energy and Water measure would provide $27.2 billion for nondefense programs, a $1.8 billion decrease from the current year, for the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs, the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies focused on nuclear energy.
The bill contains numerous wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case, including preserving funding critical to Hawaii’s clean energy transition. The State Energy Program, which provides technical and financial assistance to advance energy efficiency and state-led clean energy initiatives, received level funding. Also receiving level funding is the Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides low-income households with assistance in energy-saving home improvements.
Additionally, the bill includes $10 million to study avenues of protection for public infrastructure on small beaches from erosion and damage caused by storms and natural wave currents; $5 million for regional sediment management, construction, operations and regulatory functions in the coastal zone; and $37.5 million for programs which manage aquatic weeds in public waters.
However, Representative Case opposed the overall bill, warning that its sweeping funding cuts “would weaken programs central to our inevitable clean energy goals that have only been amplified by Iran war-related energy disruptions and result in skyrocketing gas and other energy costs.”
Programs significantly cut or eliminated include:
· The Solar Energy Technologies Account, which supports research and development to harness America’s abundant solar resources for secure, affordable, and reliable solar energy.
· The Water Power Technologies Office, which enables research, development and testing of emerging marine energy technologies, hydropower and pumped storage systems.
· Geothermal Demonstration Projects, which conducts work on next-generation geothermal power production demonstration projects, including demonstrations of enhanced, deep closed-loop and supercritical geothermal systems.
Despite these cuts, the bill still includes funding for other programs and provisions requested and secured by Case:
· $10 million for a USACE program that aids in the planning, designing and construction of small projects for commercial navigation purposes such as channels, breakwaters and jetties. This funding will assist in statewide harbor modifications.
· $10 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction activities.
· $40 million for flood control and coastal emergency efforts.
· $12 million for the USACE’s Coastal Ocean Data System, high-resolution observations and models of coastal ocean waves and shoreline change in states, island territories and the Freely Associated States on a recurring basis to ensure safe and efficient navigation for military, commercial and recreational maritime traffic.
· $38 million for the USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Program, which conducts research and development of biological, chemical, cultural and ecological capabilities for controlling invasive aquatic plants.
· Language modifying a clean energy program under DOE that has been widely beneficial for Hawai‘i. The Energy Technology Innovation Office, previously known as the Energy Transitions Initiative, supports island and remote communities by providing personalized technical and financial assistance. Case previously introduced legislation to make this program permanent. (See here for more details.)
· Language studying workforce development investments in the Indo-Pacific to reduce labor costs and counter efforts by the People’s Republic of China to secure workers.
The Legislative Branch Appropriations bill, which funds Congress as a separate, independent, co-equal branch of government, provides $5.4 billion, a decrease of $125 million or 2 percent below the FY 2026 enacted level. This total excludes the Senate items, which are added later in the legislative process.
The bill supports the U.S. House of Representatives and Congress’ critical associated agencies such as, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Library of Congress, the Architect of the Capitol, the Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the Capitol Police.
Many of these dedicated support agencies assist in Congressional analytical analysis and operations. They protect the ability of Congress to serve its vital constitutional role. Without them, Congress would have to depend on the executive branch for the data and analysis needed to govern, which would tip the balance of power to the President.
Case warned: “We as an institution must strengthen and protect Congress and its ability to function as a separate, independent and co-equal branch of our government.”
“As it stands, the executive branch already has a level of authority in Congress over the leadership appointment of the GAO, GPO, Library of Congress and the Architect of the Capitol – one that it should not have. This erosion of internal authority undermines Congress’s independence and weakens our ability to provide the necessary oversight over the executive branch.”
The GAO was founded in 1921 after Congress identified the need to control the growing government expenditures and debt after World War I. Since then, the GAO has grown parallel to the federal government’s responsibilities and programs, with its main responsibility to be Congress’s watchdog. It ensures that government spending is used efficiently, investigates potential waste or mismanagement, and provides nonpartisan recommendations to improve accountability and effectiveness.
The President currently has the power to nominate candidates to lead the GAO, along with the Library of Congress, GPO and the Architect of the Capitol. Case has introduced legislation to remove the President from appointing and removing the leaders of three organizations mentioned here.
Provisions in the bill weakening the GAO include:
· Providing only $612 million, a decrease of $200 million or 25 percent below FY 2026 and $248 million less than the FY 2027 request. The decrease in funding will result in over 1,000 layoffs.
· Prohibiting the GAO from bringing civil actions against any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States for failing to comply with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 without Congressional approval. The GAO, acting per its statutory direction from Congress, currently has nearly forty open investigations into whether the executive branch is illegally withholding (impounding) money Case’s Appropriations Committee previously appropriated.
Case spoke extensively in Committee against the attacks on these critical agencies associated with Congress here and here.
Despite these fatal flaws in the bill, Case secured various funding and provisions he requested and supported, including:
· $20.6 million in funding to help pay for interns in House Member Offices.
· $1.8 million for the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services which helps coordinate services for individuals with disabilities including Members of Congress, staff and visitors to the Capitol.
· $7 million for the Green and Gold Congressional Aide Program that provides two-year employment opportunities for veterans, Gold Star family members and active-duty spouses to work for the House of Representatives.
These two measures are the 6th and 7th of the twelve bills to be taken up by the House Appropriations Committee that will collectively fund the federal government for FY 2027 (commencing October 1, 2026).
Despite Case’s opposition, both bills now move on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.
A summary of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill is available here.
A summary of the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill is available here.
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