Detroit, Mich. – Early this morning, Republicans Tom Barrett and John James cast deciding votes to advance Donald Trump’s massive budget reconciliation package that would endanger Michigan residents’ clean air and water, fast-track reckless oil and gas leasing and development, and raise costs on Michigan’s working families—all to give more tax cuts and handouts to billionaires and corporate polluters. With Barrett’s and James’s votes the bill passed 215-214 and now heads to the United States Senate.
As currently written, the bill would repeal most Inflation Reduction Act clean energy tax credits and investments, expand and expedite approvals for on- and off-shore oil and gas drilling, kneecap important environmental protections and public health safeguards by killing pollution standards for cars and trucks and methane pollution. Final House language also includes “pay to pollute” provisions that would allow corporate polluters to pay a fee to skirt long-standing environmental laws and review processes, and have those permits automatically approved.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released an analysis just this week confirming that the bill would also end lifesaving health care coverage for more than 13 million Americans on Medicaid, raise the deficit by $2.3 trillion over a decade, and automatically trigger more than $500 billion in cuts to the Medicare program that senior citizens rely on.
The budget reconciliation package would be particularly devastating for Michigan, where we are first in the nation for winning Inflation Reduction Act-funded projects, garnering $21 billion in clean energy project investments, and supporting more than 21,000 good-paying jobs.
In response, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Director Elayne Coleman released the following statement:
“This bill is a disaster for working families here in Michigan. It endangers our clean air and water, will devastate our growing economy and the jobs that are powering it, and open up our nation’s precious lands and waters to even more reckless oil and gas drilling—all to reward Trump, Barrett, James and their billionaire buddies and corporate polluter pals.
“Reps. Barrett and James should be ashamed of voting to subject their constituents to the dangers of this misguided bill. The people of Michigan have a right to clean air, clean water, and a safe and healthy future for their children and grandchildren. Barrett’s and James’s support for this bill puts all of that at risk. We will hold Barrett and James accountable for their careless and cruel decision to hurt our community and the families that call it home.”
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