GOP’s Murkowski Doesn’t Want To Take ‘Hammer’ To Biden’s Expensive Green Energy Bill

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is pushing to safeguard certain green energy provisions from former President Joe Biden’s controversial climate agenda, even as her Republican colleagues aim to slash bloated federal spending in their proposed reconciliation bill, Politico reports.

Rather than backing an across-the-board rollback of the left’s trillion-dollar Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Murkowski is calling on the GOP to adopt a “more cautious and conscientious approach.” She warned against the temptation to wield a “big hammer” that would eliminate tax credits championed by the Biden administration under the guise of fighting climate change. The 2022 IRA, which passed without a single Republican vote, is now under the microscope as lawmakers seek to fund President Donald Trump’s America First legislative initiatives, according to the Daily Caller.

The proposed Republican budget aims to unwind billions in subsidies for so-called “clean energy” programs enacted under the Biden regime. These include credits for electric vehicles and so-called energy-efficient home upgrades like heat pumps and green-friendly windows and doors—programs that critics say overwhelmingly benefit wealthy elites and foreign manufacturers.

Republicans are also eyeing the elimination of subsidies for hydrogen production, nuclear energy, and advanced manufacturing. The budget bill would terminate “transferability,” a loophole that lets project sponsors sell tax credits to third parties, a practice that has raised concerns about Chinese firms cashing in on American taxpayer dollars.

“I’m pretty sure that there would be a fair number on that list, on the House side, who are hoping against hope that we in the Senate will work to soften that,” Murkowski told Politico.

Murkowski, one of just four Senate Republicans to urge GOP leadership in April to preserve parts of the IRA’s energy tax credits, is no stranger to bucking her party. Despite calling herself “not attached to the Republican label,” she’s previously drawn criticism for aligning with Biden on key Cabinet confirmations—although notably, she did vote against Biden’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, making her one of only two Republicans to do so.

Critics warn that if left untouched, the Inflation Reduction Act will burden taxpayers with over $1 trillion in costs by 2032—and potentially balloon to a staggering $4.7 trillion by 2050.

Murkowski’s defense of certain IRA measures comes even as she continues to criticize the Biden administration’s broader anti-development stance, particularly on issues impacting Alaska. She’s spoken out against the cancellation of vital oil and gas leases and the federal withdrawal of resource-rich lands, which she argues stifle economic opportunity in her state.

Still, not all House Republicans are united on a full repeal. A group of over a dozen GOP representatives have called for a more tempered overhaul of the IRA’s tax credits, urging leadership to strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and energy innovation.

Meanwhile, conservative budget hawks are standing firm. They insist the Inflation Reduction Act is nothing more than a handout to massive corporations and foreign competitors, all at the expense of American energy independence.

“The Inflation Reduction Act, better known as the Green New Scam, is providing massive, unlimited subsidies to billion-dollar corporations and Chinese manufacturers to the detriment of American energy freedom and dominance,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) told the Daily Caller. “If Republicans want to unleash American energy dominance and support the President’s energy agenda, we have no choice but to fully — and immediately — repeal the Green New Scam.”

But rallying full party support has proven challenging.

The “big, beautiful bill” that President Donald Trump has called for to fund his agenda was stalled last week when several Republicans on the House Budget Committee—Reps. Chip Roy, Josh Brecheen (OK), Andrew Clyde (GA), and Ralph Norman (SC)—voted against it, as reported by Fox News.

In an effort to keep momentum alive, Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) has scheduled another vote for Sunday night at 10 p.m., hoping Republicans can reach consensus and deliver for the American people.

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