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A conservative House Republican claims his party might be missing out on substantial savings by not fully repealing Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in their ongoing budget negotiations.
In a conversation with the Daily Caller News Foundation, Oklahoma Representative Josh Brecheen, who serves on both the House Budget Committee and the House Freedom Caucus, emphasized the importance of completely dismantling the IRA through budget reconciliation. Current discussions among House Republicans only target approximately $200 billion in tax credits, leaving around $600 billion in green energy subsidies intact.
No more Green New Scam. No thank you. GOP Rep wants to gut Biden’s green energy law in next budget. https://t.co/xIw9UbRrRT
— Lara Logan (@laralogan) February 8, 2025
According to a House Ways and Means Committee document obtained by POLITICO, eliminating all IRA green energy tax credits could yield savings of up to $796 billion over a decade.
The IRA, which Biden enacted in August 2022, passed through Congress without any Republican support using budget reconciliation. Republicans have consistently criticized the law for its market distortion effects, allocation of taxpayer funds to progressive organizations, and escalating expenses.
“It was brought in by reconciliation by the Democrats,” Brecheen told the DCNF. “If we don’t do it now [with] a 50-vote threshold for the Senate, it will not get done.”
“Those [leftover subsidies] matter if we’re going to get to energy dominance,” Brecheen added.
The push for complete repeal faces opposition from various sectors, including solar, wind, and major oil companies currently benefiting from the IRA’s tax credits for environmental and low-carbon initiatives. Green energy firms recently lobbied Congress to maintain these tax benefits.
The proposal also encounters resistance within Republican ranks, frustrating members like Brecheen who see full repeal as crucial for ending taxpayer support of impractical green energy and excessive spending.
“Even within the Republican conference, we’re talking about not fully getting rid of taxpayer subsidized wind and solar energy,” Brecheen told the DCNF Thursday. “You’re telling me that just because 18 members of our conference signed a letter saying we’ve got some concerns about doing a full repeal that we shouldn’t go back to them in gentleness and remind them ‘hey, wait a minute: the mandate.'”
Brecheen referenced an August 2024 letter to Speaker Mike Johnson from 18 House Republicans opposing complete IRA repeal. Fourteen signatories returned to the House, while one moved to the Senate.
The Oklahoma congressman highlighted that repealing the IRA would fulfill Trump’s campaign pledge. During his campaign, Trump consistently promised to eliminate Biden’s climate law and reclaim unspent funds, labeling it the “Green New Scam” at the New York Economic Club in September 2024.
“Do we really need it [green energy tax credits] when we talk about energy dominance,” Brecheen questioned. “We need to return to commonsense, reliable, affordable energy.”
Joe Biden says that the Inflation Reduction Act “helped reduce inflation at the kitchen table.”
Food prices skyrocketed 11.4% over the last year, the largest 12-month increase in 41 years.
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) September 13, 2022
“Stop giving wind and solar preferential treatment,” Brecheen continued. “We’re taking away from the many to give to the few.”
Congressional Republicans remain divided on implementing Trump’s legislative agenda through reconciliation. Senate Republicans favor splitting the process into two bills, while House Republicans prefer combining all priorities into a single comprehensive package.
As House members work to resolve final disagreements on their budget resolution, the Senate moved forward with their own proposal on Friday, announced via press release from Senate Budget Committee chairman Lindsey Graham.
