{"id":2636658,"date":"2026-07-28T12:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-obbba-became-law-energy-tax-credits-spark-intra-party-feud\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T12:31:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:31:06","slug":"how-obbba-became-law-energy-tax-credits-spark-intra-party-feud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-obbba-became-law-energy-tax-credits-spark-intra-party-feud\/","title":{"rendered":"How OBBBA became law: Energy tax credits spark intra-party feud"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-obbba-became-law-energy-tax-credits-spark-intra-party-feud%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2636658&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the complex legislative battle over the &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill,&#8221; focusing on Republican efforts to considerably cut or eliminate the Biden-era <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/makes-u-s-uncompetitive-funds-favored-industries-friends-analysts-rip-bidens-infrastructure-plan\/\" title=\"Makes U.S. \u2018Uncompetitive,... Funds \u2018Favored Industries, Friends...: Analysts Rip Biden...s Infrastructure Plan\">clean energy tax credits<\/a> established under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Hardline Republicans, with President Donald Trump\u2019s backing, aimed to drastically reduce subsidies for wind and solar projects, which led to intense negotiations and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-democrats-reject-budget-cuts-proposed-by-newsom-as-new-fiscal-year-approaches\/\" title=\"California Democrats oppose Newsom&#039;s proposed budget cuts as the new fiscal year nears\">intra-party conflicts<\/a>. Senator John Curtis emerged as a key figure, advocating for more gradual reductions to prevent harming ongoing investments and jobs in renewable energy sectors, especially in Republican-leaning districts that benefited from these subsidies.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the process, there was meaningful tension between the GOP factions-centrists seeking balanced approaches and conservatives pushing for deeper cuts. Trump actively involved himself, emphasizing opposition to renewable energy subsidies, which influenced the legislative dynamics. Top Republicans and Senate leadership engaged in late-night negotiations, incorporating amendments and adjustments, such as allowing projects to claim subsidies if construction began within a year of bill enactment.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the legislation narrowly passed, with some Republicans reluctantly voting for a compromise that included phased reductions rather than immediate elimination of clean energy credits. The internal GOP disagreements, Trump\u2019s intervention, and strategic negotiations highlight the contentious debate over energy policy, fiscal duty, and the future direction of U.S. climate and energy initiatives.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hard-line Republicans in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"1250\">House<\/a> had won. They\u2019d taken a sledgehammer to former President Joe Biden\u2019s tax credits for wind and solar projects in their House-passed bill, and they had President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> full backing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s when Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-curtis\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"8958\">John Curtis <\/a>(R-UT), a first-term senator and former congressman who succeeded Mitt Romney, started fielding phone calls from former House Republican colleagues imploring him to \u201cfix this\u201d before the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> passed it.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4658389\/big-beautiful-bill-energy-tax-credits-party-feud-republicans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How the Big Beautiful Bill became law: Energy tax credits spark intra-party feud<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4665641\/trump-administration-candidate-states-nuclear-waste-storage\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump administration selects five states as candidates for radioactive nuclear waste\u00a0storage<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4662754\/trump-nuclear-developers-reactors-celebration\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump celebrates nuclear developers who hit ambitious July 4 deadline for new reactors<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis is a unique Republican. A former registered Democrat, the affable Curtis is known for seeking bipartisan solutions. Unlike others in the GOP, Curtis contends that humans play a role in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/climate-change\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"289\">climate change<\/a>. He founded the Conservative Climate Caucus and has urged Republicans to be more outspoken on environmental issues. He also doesn\u2019t shy away from criticizing Trump and was one of the few Republicans who won his GOP primary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/campaign\/4647317-trump-baffles-allies-with-endorsement-of-long-shot-utah-candidate\/\">despite a rival <\/a>attracting the president\u2019s endorsement in 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Curtis recognized he was the new guy on the block as he sought changes to the legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/the-big-beautiful-bill\/\">HOW THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL BECAME LAW: READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER\u2019S 10-PART SERIES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI found myself saying to the industry, to one of my colleagues who had asked me about it, \u2018Don\u2019t worry, I got this,\u2019\u201d Curtis recalled to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThey\u2019re looking at a brand-new senator saying, \u2018Don\u2019t worry, I got this.\u2019 Very skeptical.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis knew that the hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies were without a doubt on the chopping block. They were, after all, from the largest-ever climate bill passed and championed by Democrats. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But he also knew that \u201chow they go away is everything.\u201d Curtis argued that businesses would be \u201cdecimated\u201d if they were not given time to adjust to ending federal subsidies. As it turned out, many Republicans quietly agreed with him, despite it meaning they were at odds with most in their party and, more importantly, Trump. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ensuing tug-of-war policy battle would rage for weeks over clean <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/policy\/energy\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"35\">energy<\/a>, constantly nearing the brink of disaster against the backdrop of other contentious negotiations that could crumble the entire legislation at any time. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a week before the law\u2019s passage, Trump was about to lose another Republican vote. Curtis had leverage. Yet, the White House refused to budge on cutting cold turkey the hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy tax credits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPut a fork in me. I\u2019m done,\u201d Curtis recalled telling White House staff. \u201cThis is not logical, it\u2019s emotional. And you\u2019ve lost my support for the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-right-says-cuts-don-t-go-far-enough\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Right says cuts don\u2019t go far enough<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tensions over the clean energy tax credits, established under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, had been brewing for weeks as a key provision in the bill set to deliver on Trump\u2019s tax agenda. A group of conservatives blocked the measure from hitting the floor in the House until the subsidies were completely scrapped. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initially, the bill included fairly gentle terminations of the clean energy tax credits, phasing out the subsidies in the early 2030s \u2014 several years after Trump leaves office. Centrist Republicans had for months urged leadership to handle the repeal of the credits with a scalpel, to prevent any significant losses of investments in their districts.\u00a0The hardliners wanted a sledgehammer to decimate the Biden-era policies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were many obstacles that Trump and Republican congressional leaders faced before they passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Finding the perfect balance between centrists and conservatives on energy tax credits was extremely difficult, lawmakers and aides said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-lankford\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"966\">James Lankford<\/a> (R-OK), a member of the GOP leadership team, said he was surprised that much of the energy-related negotiations weren\u2019t ironed out until the last possible moment, calling it \u201ca really big battle at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added, \u201cI would have never guessed that would have been the final battle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At various times, as Republicans got close to a tentative deal, Trump pushed harder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sean Clerget, who served as\u00a0chief tax counsel to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and helped craft the energy tax language, said, \u201cTrump was very aggressive on wind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed.\u00a0Trump has aggressively and consistently moved to halt offshore wind projects and repeal policies that help to bolster renewable energy throughout his second administration, while also rolling back <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/regulations\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"665\">regulations<\/a> to prop up the fossil fuel industry as part of his energy dominance agenda. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has many staples to his stump speeches, and one of his so-called greatest hits is railing on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wind-energy\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1750\">wind energy<\/a>. Attracting rebuttals from fact checkers, Trump has claimed wind energy kills eagles, causes cancer, and isn\u2019t used by \u201csmart countries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emboldened by their party leader, fiscal hawks in the Freedom Caucus called for stronger cuts to minimize the federal deficit and offset other tax credit extensions. And \u2014 as a bonus \u2014 stronger cuts to green subsidies helped deliver on Trump\u2019s campaign promise to kill the so-called Green New Deal. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe were making progress, but the vote was called, and the problems were not resolved, so I voted no,\u201d Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/chiproytx\/status\/1923415709247291674\">post on X<\/a> after blocking a crucial committee vote. \u201cI am staying in Washington this weekend to deliver. Medicaid Work requirements must start NOW not 2029 &#038; the Green New Scam must be fully repealed, as President Trump called for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump phoned Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), chairman of the House Budget Committee, from Air Force One while traveling back to the United States from his diplomatic and economic tour of the Middle East in mid-May. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The call came just after the panel had held its last markup on the measure, and it was headed to the floor for a vote. The final House vote count was still up in the air, as some members were not satisfied with how quickly the legislation would repeal the wind and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/solar-energy\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"612\">solar energy<\/a> tax credits. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere was no issue that the president emphasized as wasteful spending more than the green energy tax subsidies,\u201d Arrington told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.\u00a0\u201cSo it seemed like some of my colleagues, some of my fellow budget committee members, were aligned with what the president wanted to do. And they didn\u2019t think we had gone far enough.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arrington said he agreed with their sentiment. However, the legislation needed to move forward.\u00a0\u201cBut I also knew we could make some changes in [the] rules committee,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-big-problem-for-the-speaker\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A big problem for the speaker<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a single-digit majority in the House, dual pushback from the Freedom Caucus and centrists threatened to tank the entire bill. It was a major problem for Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7043\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA), who had his energy expert on speed dial. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson would call Energy Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chris-wright\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11768\">Chris Wright<\/a> as late as 11 p.m. or even 2 a.m. to talk strategy on getting the votes. Sometimes these were individual calls with the speaker, and other times with groups of members. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most lawmakers didn\u2019t need much convincing about stripping tax credits for things such as electric vehicles or preserving subsidies for technologies such as nuclear and geothermal energy.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To Wright\u2019s surprise, the biggest revolt was on the clean energy tax credits. This was partly because legislators didn\u2019t want to see less money going to their districts, as Republican-led states were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maryland-advances-offshore-wind-energy\/\" title=\"Maryland progresses in offshore ... development\">attracting private sector investments<\/a> in renewable energy projects during the Biden administration. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the immediate years after the Democrats\u2019 climate law was passed, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleaninvestmentmonitor.org\/reports\/q1-2025-update\">roughly 80%<\/a> of total investments made went to Republican congressional districts. This included new manufacturing facilities, utility-scale clean energy projects, and decarbonization sites in states such as South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. Many of these projects were expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs in the states. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, solar and wind lobbyists had the ear of many legislators on Capitol Hill. One solar industry advocate recalled various lobby days and fundraisers that involved offering education to members about the industry and bringing constituents together from their respective districts. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReconciliation Bill Risks Devastating Job Losses in Every U.S. State if Senate Fails to Change Course,\u201d the Solar Energy Industries Association <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/seia.org\/news\/bill-risks-devastating-job-losses\/\">wrote in a report<\/a> released in early June, a month before the July 4, 2025, legislative deadline. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the industry saw some success. Months earlier, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) organized a letter alongside 20 other House Republicans urging against wholesale repeal of the clean energy tax credits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe solar lobby just came in and brought new data and new arguments, and then they were bombarding senators and House members constantly,\u201d Wright recalled, saying it led to a lot of back and forth between himself and Congress. \u201cThe trade groups, the lobbyists, fought tooth and nail to the end \u2026 that was the biggest battle.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-republican-infighting-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Republican infighting <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis, the Utah Republican senator, was taking a calculated political risk in being the point man to save some of the energy credits. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He served eight years in the House before coming to the other side of the Capitol. But in many ways, it was a whole different ball game that left Curtis wondering how much to wield the newfound leverage that he lacked in the lower chamber.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs a newbie, as the new senator, I didn\u2019t really have a good sense of how hard to push my feelings and work to exert myself,\u201d Curtis said. \u201cBut as it unfolded, it was clear that the bill text had gone too far, and I literally came \u2014 it was not a bluff \u2014 I came to the point where I was not willing to support it because it had gone too far.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wasn\u2019t alone.\u00a0Republicans including Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) also pushed heavily against the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/3419377\/house-gop-megabill-clean-energy-cuts-relief-nuclear\/?utm_source=Daily%20on%20Energy%20052225_05\/22\/2025&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_campaign=WEX_Daily%20on%20Energy&#038;rid=25486800&#038;env=74099866aa2c0d01e9f38050cb25f7dae70ca665c8be98d6137212ccf7a6e60b\">House-proposed cuts<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conservatives succeeded in accelerating the repeal of the green subsidies, with the House-passed bill ending tax credits for all projects \u2014 regardless of whether they were for wind, solar, or other alternative energies \u2014 unless they start construction within 60 days of the bill\u2019s enactment and are placed in service by the end of 2028. Only nuclear developers saw relief, with the measure ordering those projects to start construction by 2028 to qualify for energy subsidies. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stiff arm from the Republicans in the Senate surprised Wright just a \u201clittle bit.\u201d The secretary spoke with both Curtis and Murkowski specifically as the vote neared, aiming to find a compromise.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe all agreed the subsidies should go away,\u201d Wright said. \u201cThe question was just the pathway, and so even when there was a meaningful disagreement in the pathway, it was always polite. It may have been firm \u2026 but they were polite.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Murkowski\u2019s office declined to comment. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis knew he was going against the grain: \u201cIt was clear that it was in opposition to the White House. It was clear it was in opposition to some of my colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The notion of immediately nixing renewable energy credits and subsidies \u201cdidn\u2019t fit with a strategy of being energy dominant\u201d and seemed \u201cmore punitive,\u201d Curtis said. Funds or tax breaks already committed to the wind and solar industries meant companies were expecting the money for ongoing projects.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In June 2025, Rhodium Group and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s Center for Energy and Environment Policy Research reported that about <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/rhg.com\/research\/three-key-outcomes-of-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-on-us-manufacturing-and-innovation\/\">$522 billion worth of clean energy investments<\/a> were announced between mid-2022 and the first quarter of 2025, though they have yet to come online.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The investments included the expansion of solar generation, geothermal plants, sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen facilities, wind turbines, EVs, and much more. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-trump-steps-in\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trump steps in<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With such a slim majority in both chambers, a few votes against the bill could tank the entire legislation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So about 36 hours before the bill hit the Senate floor, Trump stepped up his involvement. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright recalled huddling with the president, Johnson, and a few others in the Oval Office. The president was \u201cpretty clear\u201d on what he would and wouldn\u2019t support during the meeting, Wright said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the secretary didn\u2019t elaborate on what Trump specifically told leadership during the meeting, it is well known that the president viewed any tax credits for renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar, as wasteful government spending and that his signature tax bill would not pass without those rollbacks. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"178\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) wasn\u2019t present at the meeting, but later met with the president that night to discuss how they could secure the votes in the upper chamber. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following morning, Thune called Wright to explain his conversation with the president, where he thought negotiations in the upper chamber had landed, and how many more senators they needed to get to passage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright, a career oil and gas executive and fracking pioneer, recalled that Thune had made \u201cgreat progress\u201d and that the budget reconciliation bill was finally at a place that would work with the administration\u2019s priorities. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The secretary wasn\u2019t getting everything he wanted, but he knew that would always be the case. He had succeeded in securing federal subsidies for nuclear and geothermal technologies, and had long pushed for sharp rollbacks for renewable energy alternatives, which he called unreliable and overly expensive. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Thune searching for votes, the Senate wasn\u2019t going to be able to pass the dramatic subsidy repeals outlined in the House version. But for Wright, the bill was finally in a position to slash Democrats\u2019 climate change legislative agenda significantly. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright\u2019s conversation with Thune left him in good spirits, allowing him, for the first time in a long time, to have a \u201crelatively relaxed\u201d day, walking along the river with his wife. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking back, Wright described the day as a \u201cfalse calm,\u201d as the Senate prepared to enter a more than 24-hour vote-a-rama to get a final version of the legislation on the floor, with key Republicans going back and forth right up to the moment they cast their votes. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThen the night came,\u201d Wright said, as he and Thune would soon again be forced to negotiate with members for their votes. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-crunch-time\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crunch time<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just one day after Thune met one-on-one with the president, the wheels in the Senate started to come off. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The upper chamber was headed into its <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >closely watched vote-a-rama marathon amendment session<\/a>, providing a last chance for senators of either party to propose changes and force votes. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This series of votes stretched late into the evening on June 30, 2025, and well into the early hours of July 1, with the majority leader attempting to please both fiscal hawks and moderate Republicans pushing for softer cuts. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confidence was wavering over whether Thune could corral the centrist votes. Murkowski, the Alaska Republican who often butts heads with Trump, was among those on the fence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With their votes up in the air, Wright went back to the phones. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The energy secretary made a \u201ccouple\u201d of calls late that night, telling certain members that \u201cif we have to take a step back, we\u2019ll take a step back, but we can\u2019t blow up the core of what we\u2019re doing.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thune spoke with Murkowski throughout the night and the following morning. She ultimately succeeded in squeezing in an amendment that allowed projects beginning construction less than one year after the bill was enacted to claim the federal subsidies. The amendment also slashed a new tax proposed by GOP hardliners in the Senate that would have been imposed on solar and wind projects that fail to meet restrictions on the use of Chinese materials. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Murkowski\u2019s amendment added to the bill, Republicans appeared to have a deal on slowly removing the green tax provisions, where enough senators were satisfied. Murkowski ultimately and reluctantly voted for final passage. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4658106\/house-funding-patch-avert-shutdown-december\/\">HOUSE JAMS THROUGH FUNDING PATCH TO AVERT SHUTDOWN THROUGH DECEMBER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere were plenty of times I thought she was going to vote no,\u201d a GOP aide told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fiscal hawks in the House criticized the Senate-passed bill. Roy accused the upper chamber of offering a \u201cgiveaway\u201d to the renewable energy industry. While the changes were a \u201cdeal killer\u201d for him, Johnson called his bluff by putting the bill to a vote. And ultimately, Roy voted in favor of the final package. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em><em>Members of the <\/em><\/em><\/em>Washington Examiner\u2019s<em><em><em> staff who have worked on this series over the past several months are Haris Alic, Hailey Bullis, Bob Cusack, Christian Datoc, James A. Downs, Gabrielle M. Etzel, Lauren Green, Zach Halaschak, Chris Irvine, Joseph Lawler, Naomi Lim, Maydeen Merino, Callie Patteson, Mabinty Quarshie, Samantha-Jo Roth, David Sivak, and Ramsey Touchberry.<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Republicans block Biden\u2019s green energy credits, Trump backs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4374,"featured_media":2636659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-2.png?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[83335,36279,49528,83336,36926],"class_list":["post-2636658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-energy-tax-credits","tag-environmental-policy","tag-legislative-process","tag-obbba-law","tag-political-feud"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-2.png?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4374"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2636658"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2636666,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636658\/revisions\/2636666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2636659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2636658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2636658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2636658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}