GOP Budget Targets Billions in Climate Program Cuts

GOP Budget Targets Billions in Climate Program Cuts \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ House Republicans have proposed steep cuts to climate and clean energy programs created under President Biden, including efforts from the Inflation Reduction Act. Environmental advocates warn the rollback would boost fossil fuel interests, increase pollution, and hinder progress on climate goals.

Quick Looks

• Republican bill would slash billions from Biden-era climate efforts.
• $6.5B in unspent green funds targeted for repeal.
• Clean energy tax credits and EPA grants face rollback.
• Environmental groups warn of increased emissions and pollution.
• Legislation aligns with Trump’s 2026 anti-climate budget blueprint.
• GOP lawmakers cite waste and “green boondoggles.”
• Clean vehicles, green ports, and wind development at risk.
• House panel meetings set as Memorial Day deadline looms.

Deep Look

House Republicans have introduced sweeping budget proposals that would reverse much of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate agenda, targeting billions of dollars in clean energy investments, tax credits, and environmental justice initiatives. The cuts are part of the GOP’s broader effort to reshape federal spending in line with former President Donald Trump’s 2026 budget vision, which seeks to drastically scale back government support for green initiatives.

With the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee set to meet Tuesday, GOP lawmakers are advancing their plan through the budget reconciliation process, aiming to merge tax cuts and spending rollbacks into a single legislative package before Memorial Day.

“This bill ends wasteful Green New Deal-style spending,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
“It redirects funds away from green boondoggles and back into responsible fiscal planning.”

Guthrie’s committee bill alone would reclaim $6.5 billion in unspent Inflation Reduction Act funds, especially those related to climate programs. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, he framed the bill as a rejection of what he called “the most reckless parts of the engorged climate spending.”

Programs Facing the Axe

Among the major targets of the GOP proposal:

• Clean energy tax credits for solar, wind, and EVs.
• The Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (“green bank”).
• Grants for zero-emission port equipment and air pollution monitoring.
• The Energy Department’s loan program for green infrastructure.
• Funds supporting multistate and offshore wind development.
• Environmental justice block grants for marginalized communities.

The plan also seeks to:

• Repeal sections of the Clean Air Act.
• Loosen vehicle emissions standards.
• Expedite permitting for natural gas projects.
• Increase oil supply via the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Environmental Groups Sound the Alarm

Leading environmental organizations quickly condemned the proposals as a dangerous rollback of climate protections that would increase pollution, harm vulnerable communities, and hinder progress toward U.S. climate goals.

“Republicans are sacrificing clean energy on the altar of Big Oil,” said Lena Moffitt, executive director of Evergreen Action.
“They’re gutting investments that reduce energy costs and support working families.”

Moffitt warned that the repeal of environmental justice grants would force low-income areas to rely on dirtier, more expensive energy, while loosened standards would mean more smog and higher asthma rates.

Alexandra Adams of the Natural Resources Defense Council echoed those concerns, saying the plan gives polluters free rein and threatens public health.

“This legislation guts programs that protect children and the elderly from asthma and toxic air,” Adams said.
“It also slams the brakes on clean energy innovation.”

Trump’s 2026 Budget Blueprint in Action

The climate cuts mirror Trump’s proposed 2026 budget, which calls for a sweeping reorganization of federal agencies and sharp reductions in funding for:

• Disease research
• Clean energy development
• Climate change mitigation programs

In his return to the White House, Trump has pledged to undo nearly all of Biden’s environmental policies, branding them part of what he calls the “green new scam.” His administration has already moved to expand fossil fuel investments, dismantle renewable energy subsidies, and reject scientific evidence of climate risk.

Green Energy Rollbacks vs. Manufacturing Boom

Proponents of Biden’s clean energy programs argue the proposed cuts would hurt more than the environment. Tax credits for EVs and renewables have helped drive a domestic manufacturing resurgence, create tens of thousands of jobs, and lower energy bills for millions of households.

Even some Republicans have praised the economic boost from renewable investments in their home districts, complicating efforts to repeal the programs wholesale.

Still, GOP leaders say the Inflation Reduction Act was a spending overreach that failed to live up to its promises.

“This was never about reducing inflation,” Guthrie said.
“It was about pushing a far-left environmental agenda with taxpayer dollars.”

Public Health and Permitting in the Crosshairs

One particularly controversial provision in the draft legislation would fast-track permits for oil and gas drilling, a long-sought goal of energy companies that environmentalists say would bypass safety and pollution reviews.

Meanwhile, cuts to air quality monitoring and clean vehicle infrastructure would disproportionately affect urban areas and frontline communities already struggling with high asthma rates and pollution exposure.

“These cuts are cruel,” said Moffitt. “They show exactly where GOP priorities lie—not with the people, but with polluters.”

The Road Ahead

The House is expected to hold marathon committee hearings this week, culminating in a unified package of tax and spending provisions aimed at delivering on Trump’s campaign promises. Speaker Mike Johnson has set a goal of final passage by Memorial Day.

While the Senate may block or water down portions of the plan, the GOP’s aggressive posture signals that climate rollback is a core plank of their legislative agenda.

And with 2026 budget talks intensifying, the fate of the U.S. climate strategy may hinge on how much of Biden’s green legacy survives a Republican-controlled Congress and a resurgent Trump presidency.

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