Contact: Nora Naughton, nora.naughton@sierraclub.org, 248-345-1456
Long after the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year was approved, House Republicans are moving to recklessly and unilaterally defund $645 million in previously funded projects.
Behind closed doors, the House Appropriations committee voted 16-9 to enact a rarely used legislative maneuver that cancelled projects for critical investments in education, health care, infrastructure, clean energy, and our environment and natural resources. All without a minute of public debate.
The action by House Republicans to use a loophole in the law to unilaterally claw back critical funding is a slap in the face after spending much of 2025 introducing reckless legislation that seeks to undermine our nation-leading clean energy laws, and undermining attempts to bring down energy costs.
“Every step of the way this year, the House has continuously attacked programs to address housing and energy affordability. We have fought sweetheart deals to let big businesses off the hook from paying their own energy costs, bills to slow down clean energy projects, and cuts to investments in energy affordability and efficiency,” said Tim Minotas, Legislative & Political Director for Sierra Club Michigan. “This curveball right before the holidays is genuinely exhausting and so unnecessary.”
“The House Republicans’ action slashed millions in affordable housing programs, grants to protect construction workers on our highways and children trying to cross roads to get to school. Programs to help families with young children afford the basics. Slashing money for kids impacted by the Flint water crisis. These cuts are spiteful and harmful to the people of our state – it’s mind boggling,” said Abby Clark, Michigan Director of Government Affairs for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
“The hypocrisy is impossible to miss: House Republicans demand transparency and accountability while acting behind closed doors to take critical services and economic development away from the Michiganders they represent,” said Charlotte Jameson, Chief Policy Officer for the Michigan Environmental Council. “To add insult to injury, defunding programs like brownfield redevelopment and investments in community infrastructure and clean energy will kill jobs and sour economic opportunities at a time when Michigan’s economy is already suffering.”
Our organizations will continue to work tirelessly to make water and energy bills more affordable for Michiganders while we protect our air, water and land, but it’s impossible to deny that actions like this needlessly take us backwards.