This was a vote on an amendment by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) that would have increased funding for research on new energy technology by $20 million and cut funding for fossil fuel research by $20 million. This amendment was offered to legislation funding the federal government (such legislation is known as a “continuing resolution, or “CR”) through September 2011, and cutting $61 billion in federal funding for many government programs. 

Specifically, Inslee’s amendment would have increased funding by $20 million for the “Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy,” or “ARPA-E,” which was established in 2009 to advance research and development on energy technology.

Inslee urged support for his amendment: “…We have a simple amendment that will help restore two principles to our budget: one is innovation, and two is balance. What our amendment would do would be add $20 million to the ARPA-E account. It would be fully paid for with a balance taken out of the fossil fuel research account…Our nation's economic performance will live or it will die on the ability to innovate a new clean energy technology; and today, tonight, when we're speaking, the Chinese are investing $786 billion in the development of new clean energy technologies.”

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) opposed the amendment: “ARPA-E has shown some promise in advancing our competitiveness; but in the light of the tough tradeoffs we've had to make in this bill--and indeed, they've been tough--I can't support further increased funding for ARPA-E before we've had a broader discussion of the new program….The [Inslee] amendment would reduce funding for fossil energy research and development. The program cut by the amendment ensures not only that fossil energy which generates nearly 70 percent of the nation's electricity is clean and efficient but that it uses technologies invented in America and creates jobs here at home.”

The House rejected this amendment by a vote of 159-273. Voting “yea” were 146 Democrats—including a majority of progressives—and 13 Republicans. 227 Republicans and 46 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House rejected and amendment that would have increased funding for research on new energy technology by $20 million and cut funding for fossil fuel research by $20 million.