Good afternoon,
This edition includes our letter on State and Foreign Operations amendments, our last new letter. The Ag and State and Foreign Operations underlying bill letters are now closed – will share final versions of those soon.
Thank you again to those of you who have signed on! Deadlines tonight on Homeland Security letters (including bad immigration riders, anti-democracy riders, and anti-environment riders) and tomorrow morning and State and Foreign Operations
amendments. Hope groups can sign on!
-David and Bart
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
CLOSED, link forthcoming |
CLOSED, final letter
here |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
CLOSED, final letter
here |
|
Homeland Security |
Sign on
HERE, by 6pm ET TODAY |
Sign on
HERE, by 6pm ET TODAY |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
CLOSED, link forthcoming |
Sign on
HERE by 11am ET tomorrow, Thursday 9/28 |
From: David Shadburn <dshadburn@lcv.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 12:58 PM
To: David Shadburn <dshadburn@lcv.org>; cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org
Cc: Bart Johnsen-Harris <Bart.johnsen-harris@tpl.org>; Madeleine Foote <madeleine_foote@lcv.org>; Sara Fontes <sfontes@lcv.org>; Art Terrazas <aterrazas@lcv.org>; Hobbs, Katie <kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org>
Subject: RE: SIGN ON: House Approps Vote Rec Letters (to be updated throughout the week)
Good afternoon all,
More sign on deadlines today! Sharing the latest floor schedule for today as well per House Dem leadership. Thank you to the many groups who have already signed onto letters and noting that we now have letters open on the Homeland Security
base bill and its amendments.
I recognize that our groups do not usually engage on many of these bills, but the environmental attacks in so many of these are so egregious that I hope groups will consider joining!
Thank you,
-David and Bart
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to 3PM ET TODAY (email
madeleine_foote@lcv.org with any questions) |
CLOSED, final letter
here |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
CLOSED, final letter
here |
|
Homeland Security |
Sign on
HERE, by 6pm ET TODAY |
Sign on
HERE, by 6pm ET TODAY |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to 3pm ET TODAY |
Letter in progress |
Current Floor Schedule for Wednesday (State and Foreign Ops kicks off tomorrow – underlying bill votes are then too)
Wednesday 9/27
9:30am: Debate Defense approps
10:30am: Debate amendments to Defense approps
3:30pm: Debate Homeland approps
4:30pm: Vote 14 remaining Ag amendments and Defense amendments
6:30pm: Debate Homeland amendments
10:30pm: Vote Homeland amendments
12:00am: Finish debate on Homeland amendments
From:
cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org <cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 9:17 PM
To: cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org
Cc: Bart Johnsen-Harris <Bart.johnsen-harris@tpl.org>; Madeleine Foote <madeleine_foote@lcv.org>; Sara Fontes <sfontes@lcv.org>;
Art Terrazas <aterrazas@lcv.org>; Hobbs, Katie <kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org>
Subject: [cdp] RE: SIGN ON: House Approps Vote Rec Letters (to be updated throughout the week)
Importance: High
Good evening everyone,
The House approved the rule this evening, allowing them to proceed to votes on these bills. Thank you to the 15 groups who signed onto the Agriculture approps bill amendment vote recommendation letter – that one went out tonight and is
pasted below the table.
Note more letter deadlines coming tomorrow! Including (with more potentially to be added):
These bills have many harmful anti-environmental attacks in them – we hope you are able to sign on!
-David and Bart
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET (email
madeleine_foote@lcv.org with any questions) |
CLOSED – link forthcoming, letter pasted below. |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 11am ET |
|
Homeland Security |
Letter in progress |
Letter in progress |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET |
Letter in progress |
Agriculture Approps Amendments Letter
September 26, 2023
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Re: Amendment Vote Recommendations on H.R. 4368, the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bill.
Dear Representative,
On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, League of Conservation Voters, and the undersigned groups make the following vote recommendations opposing amendments to H.R. 4368, the House Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill. While not all undersigned organizations work directly on each of these issues, we appreciate your consideration of these pro-environmental positions.
With the passage of the Rule and the self-executing manager’s amendment from Rep. Harris, H.R. 4368 makes even deeper cuts to overall funding for the USDA, slashing it down to levels last seen before 2001 – 41 percent lower than last year.
For legislation meant to support our nation’s hardworking farmers, ranchers, rural communities, agricultural producers, and small businesses, this bill will instead make it harder for them to make ends meet. The underlying bill will also severely undermine
the significant climate progress made in the Inflation Reduction Act: it contains capricious cuts to the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) initiative and the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), both of which were designed to lower energy costs for rural
families and small businesses while strengthening their communities’ energy systems; it contains callous rescissions of billions of dollars in relief for farmers in financial distress, or who have faced discrimination; and much, much more.
Once again, we urge you to oppose these harmful amendments, below.
Thank you for your consideration,
Natural Resources Defense Council
League of Conservation Voters
Alaksa Wilderness League Action
Clean Water Action
Climate Action Campaign
CCAN Action Network
Defenders of Wildlife
Earthjustice
Elevate
Environmental Working Group
National Young Farmers Coalition
Prairie Rivers Network
Sierra Club
Union of Concerned Scientists
Western Watersheds Project
Vote NO
15. Biggs (AZ). The Office of the Chief Economist at USDA is responsible for information and data-driven analyses of current and emerging issues impacting agriculture.
This amendment would further limit the resources of this office by slashing its budget by $11.4 million.
29. Biggs (AZ). This amendment further slashes funding for the Agricultural Statistical Service by $12.9 million, making it even harder to support the farmers and ranchers
who depend on this program to understand the impact of the market on changing economic situations.
32. Bishop (NC). This amendment cuts funding for the Agricultural Research Service by $300 million down to FY20 levels, reducing its capabilities to conduct and provide
scientific research that impacts everything from farm to table.
33. Biggs (AZ). This amendment cuts funding to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture by an additional $157 million on top of the underlying bill's cuts of nearly
$850 million below the President's budget request. Agricultural research is critical for keeping pace with addressing the climate crisis and empowering farmers to stay competitive.
36. Bishop (NC). This amendment cuts funding for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Centers for Disease Control estimates that three-quarters
of “new or emerging” diseases that infect humans originate in nonhuman animals. Reducing funding for APHIS would hamper our ability to prevent and respond to outbreaks that are a potential risk to human populations.
41. Brecheen (OK).
This amendment cuts Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding to FY16 levels. The underlying base bill already drastically cuts funding for NRCS, and if enacted, this amendment would further hamstring USDA's ability to deliver on
farm technical assistance to farmers at the front line of climate change.
61. Biggs (AZ) and 62. Donalds (FL).
These amendments cut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Corporation to FY19 and FY18 levels respectively. Funding CFTC at either level will limit its effectiveness as the watchdog against market manipulation to protect farmers from unfair
price spikes.
64 Graves (LA), 65 Graves (LA), and 81 Burlison (MO). These amendments prohibit funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would keep food
from those in need and restrict access to vital nutrition support.
67. Bost (IL). This amendment would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from purchasing electric vehicles. This amendment needlessly restricts USDA from reaping the
economic, climate, and environmental benefits of EVs.
73. Cammack (FL).
This amendment prohibits funds from being used to finalize or implement any federal rulemaking or regulation that has resulted in or is likely to result in an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more. Blanket policies like this hamstring
an agency empowered to protect American consumers and producers while making American agriculture competitive.
75. Miller (IL).
This amendment prevents funding for USDA's Climate Hubs. Climate Hubs have the potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness of programs to support climate-friendly agriculture and food waste reduction. This amendment would eliminate the
Climate Hub's ability develop and deliver science-based, region-specific information and technologies with USDA agencies and partners, to agricultural and natural resource managers that enable climate-informed decision-making.
80. Self (TX).
This amendment would prohibit funds from being used toward the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC). The CCC combines national service with workforce training to rally a new generation around the need to confront the climate crisis; it will build a
versatile corps of workers with the skills to help conserve and restore waters and lands, make our communities more resilient, speed the shift to clean energy and advance environmental justice.
82. Roy (TX) and 101 Miller (IL). These amendments prohibit funds from being used to implement President Biden's executive orders that help reduce pollution, adapt to
climate change, improve clean energy. As climate change continues to exacerbate impacts of flooding, extreme heat, and wildfires, this amendment will halt important progress that the Biden administration has made to address climate change and environmental
injustice, including through implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.
88. Greene (GA). In the middle of one of the hottest summers on record and perhaps the hottest year on record, this amendment would prohibit any funding for “climate
change” or “green energy” initiatives. Ignoring climate change, as this amendment seeks to do, will further exacerbate the impacts from climate change we are facing today. Limiting FDA's ability to install energy efficiency measures in their new facilities
would increase energy consumption and energy cost for these facilities.
102. Rosendale (MT). This amendment would take us back even further, reducing appropriations by an additional $717 million. The proposed reductions to USDA’s budget
in the underlying base bill are already the lowest funding levels seen in decades, and would be deeply damaging to farmers and consumers across the country.
The following amendments go against our organizations’ commitment to racial justice and equity - we urge opposition on any en bloc that includes these or similar amendments:
24 Good; 69 Miller; 79 Boebert; 89 Boebert; 98 Boebert; 99 Stauber; 100 Good.
From:
cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org <cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 5:51 PM
To: cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org
Cc: Bart Johnsen-Harris <Bart.johnsen-harris@tpl.org>; Madeleine Foote <madeleine_foote@lcv.org>; Sara Fontes <sfontes@lcv.org>;
Art Terrazas <aterrazas@lcv.org>; Hobbs, Katie <kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org>
Subject: [cdp] RE: SIGN ON: House Approps Vote Rec Letters (to be updated throughout the week)
Hi again, apologies for cross-posting,
We have now heard about the
en bloc packages for the Agriculture approps amendments – they are only doing one with all the good-to-neutral amendments, and all the bad anti-environment amendments in our vote rec letter are getting standalone votes. We are only going to rec on those
bad amendments and urge opposition to all of them instead.
Deadline is sticking at 7:30pm tonight, again pending the rule passing the House. Hope groups can sign on to this and our other letters! The defense approps amendments letter closes at 11am ET tomorrow as well!
-David and Bart
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET (email
madeleine_foote@lcv.org with any questions) |
Sign on
HERE by 7:30pm ET TONIGHT (email kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org or
JMcManus@nrdc.org with any questions) |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 11am ET |
|
Homeland Security |
Letter in progress |
Letter in progress |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET |
Letter in progress |
From: David Shadburn
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 2:58 PM
To: cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org
Cc: Bart Johnsen-Harris <Bart.johnsen-harris@tpl.org>; Madeleine Foote <madeleine_foote@lcv.org>; Sara Fontes <sfontes@lcv.org>;
Art Terrazas <aterrazas@lcv.org>; Hobbs, Katie <kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org>
Subject: RE: SIGN ON: House Approps Vote Rec Letters (to be updated throughout the week)
Hi all,
Updating the sign-on chart from my previous email to now include on amendment vote rec letter for the Agriculture approps bill, drafted by our colleagues at NRDC.
Amendment votes are expected on that bill tonight, so the deadline to sign on is 7:30pm ET. As with other amendment letters, we do not yet know the status of the en bloc amendment packages and won’t until after the rule passes at the earliest, perhaps
later. We will give groups who sign on ahead of time the opportunity to provide negative sign-off once we reorganize the letters by en bloc, but please be advised that timing for that may be very tight.
Click
HERE to sign on, and please sign on to our other letters as well! More updates to come!
Thank you,
-David and Bart
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET (email
madeleine_foote@lcv.org with any questions) |
Sign on
HERE by 7:30pm ET TONIGHT (email kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org or
JMcManus@nrdc.org with any questions) |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 11am ET |
|
Homeland Security |
Letter in progress |
Letter in progress |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET |
Letter in progress |
From: David Shadburn
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 11:12 AM
To: cdp@lists.partnershipproject.org
Cc: Bart Johnsen-Harris <Bart.johnsen-harris@tpl.org>; Madeleine Foote <madeleine_foote@lcv.org>; Sara Fontes <sfontes@lcv.org>;
Art Terrazas <aterrazas@lcv.org>; Hobbs, Katie <kathrynhobbs@nrdc.org>
Subject: SIGN ON: House Approps Vote Rec Letters (to be updated throughout the week)
Good Morning everyone, apologies for cross-posting,
The Environmental Appropriations Coalition is working hard to produce vote rec letters on the various bills and amendments expected to be voted on in the House this week and we would love to have as many groups sign on as possible.
See the below table for sign-on opportunities, to be updated regularly throughout the week. Apologies in advance for a lot of emails.
The House is expected to vote on a
rule governing consideration of all four bills (Agriculture, Defense, Homeland Security, and State and Foreign Operations) tonight around 6:30pm ET. If this rule passes (recall that failure to pass rules has been the cause of the chaos within the House
GOP over the last few weeks), we will begin sending these sign on letters up to the hill.
Apologies in advance for a series of tight sign on deadlines – we are going to do the best we can to give groups as much advance notice as possible for sign on.
I’ve included the current floor schedule at the end of this email to give folks an idea of what we currently expect.
Please note that for the amendment letters in particular, we do not yet know the status of the en bloc amendment packages and won’t until after the rule passes at the earliest, perhaps later. Some of these letters are going around for sign
on before we know for sure how they will be packaged. We will give groups who sign on ahead of time the opportunity to provide negative sign-off once we reorganize the letters by en bloc, but please be advised that timing for that may be very tight.
There are seven total letters we anticipate sending this week (if the House sticks to this schedule). We will be sending around this updated chart of which letters are open and their deadlines repeatedly throughout the coming week – I hope
this keep helps everyone keep track of which letters they have and have not joined.
|
Bill |
Underlying Bill Letter |
Amendments Letter |
|
Agriculture |
Sign on
HERE, deadline extended to Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET (email
madeleine_foote@lcv.org with any questions) |
Letter in progress, aim to send around early this afternoon, deadline will be TONIGHT |
|
Defense |
Not sending a community vote rec on the underlying bill |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 11am ET |
|
Homeland Security |
Letter in progress |
Letter in progress |
|
State and Foreign Operations |
Sign on
HERE by Wednesday 9/27 at 12pm ET |
Letter in progress |
Here is the current floor schedule, which is extremely volatile and likely to change. We will be seeking to close letters in advance of their respective votes but with enough time for members to actually consider them.
Tuesday 9/26
2:00pm: Convene
4:00pm: Debate suspensions
5:00pm: Debate rule for Defense, Homeland, SFOPs and Ag
6:30pm: Vote PQ, Rule (one rule for all four approps bills) and 1 suspension (if the rule vote fails, the entire schedule changes)
7:10pm: Debate Ag Approps
8:10pm: Debate amendments to Ag Approps
10:30pm: Vote amendments to Ag Approps
Members are expected to walk off the floor around 11:15pm
Wednesday 9/27
9:00am: Convene
9:30am: Debate Defense Approps
10:30am: Debate amendments to Defense Approps
4:30pm: Vote amendments to Ag and amendments to Defense
6:30pm: Debate Homeland Approps
7:30pm: Debate amendments to Homeland Approps
10:30pm: Vote amendments to Homeland Approps
Members are expected to walk off approximately 12:00am
Thursday 9/28
9:00am: Convene
9:30am: Debate SFOPs Approps
10:30am: Debate amendments to SFOPs Approps
5pm: Vote amendments, MTR and passage of SFOPs Approps, MTR and passage of Defense Approps, MTR and passage of Ag Approps and MTR and passage of Homeland Approps
Members are expected to walk off approximately 7:00pm
Please let us know if you have any questions, and we hope as many of you will be able to sign onto these as possible!
-David and Bart
--
David Shadburn (he/him)
Senior Government Affairs Advocate, Climate Change and Clean Energy
League of Conservation Voters
Cell: (917) 742-3078
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