The GOP war over clean energy comes to head at vote-a-rama

Politico

30-06-2025

'I'm a lifelong conservative, pro-business, pro-growth Republican from a fossil fuel state that has worked in various roles in state government,' said Mitch Carmichael, the former lieutenant governor of West Virginia who now leads Built for America, a newly launched advocacy group. 'For the life of me … there would be no justification for wanting to add a new tax on domestic energy production. We should be doing everything we can to drive down the cost of energy.'
The amendment could set up a clash of Republicans with energy projects planned for their states with staunch conservatives and the Trump administration officials, who vehemently oppose continuing subsidies for intermittent wind and solar resources that they claim are unreliable.
Rounds said Monday afternoon he's 'inclined to support' the Ernst-led amendment. His vote, along with the sponsors and all 47 Democrats, would give it majority support in the Senate.
'If [conservatives] get a few more things to save money, we should be able to get this thing moving,' he said. 'It's critical for the electric needs as we get into AI development. We can't do it without wind and solar power.'
A key factor to swing its success or failure is whether Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham and GOP leaders allow the amendment to proceed on a simple majority vote or a 60-vote supermajority, depending on whether they deem that the senators proposing the amendment have sufficient offsets to make up for the cost of easing the rollbacks.
'We're talking about that,' Graham said in a brief interview Monday.
If their bid to amend the bill fails, it would put moderates in a major bind, forcing them to choose between rejecting Trump's agenda or allowing the gutting of tax credits that could lead to canceled projects, job losses and higher electricity prices in their states.
But if it succeeds, and the Senate proceeds to pass the megabill with the softer treatment of wind and solar incentives, it would test House conservatives who then would be pressured to back the bill to ensure it meets Trump's July 4 deadline.