The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill being considered today in committee in the House includes an additional $18 billion in energy loan guarantees. The additional authority came out of a deal brokered by the Administration and House leadership to add an additional $9 billion for nuclear reactors and $9 billion for renewable energy projects. But, both the nuclear and renewable energy industries have already been awarded $18.5 billion each in Treasury-backed loan guarantees and fast-tracking this additional money in an emergency spending bill is not only unjustified, it is fiscally reckless!

The $18 billion in loan guarantees should not be deemed an “emergency” to allow its inclusion into the war supplemental, but should follow the regular appropriations route through Congress. DOE still has $10.2 billion remaining in its nuclear treasury chest, as well as an unaccepted offer to Southern Company for an $8.33 billion loan guarantee which could free up even more funds. Unfortunately, this existing authority has not stopped DOE, or the Obama Administration from forcing taxpayers to risk billions more—even if it means sticking it in an emergency defense bill.