Weekly Briefing: House budget vote signals new stage in IRA defense push

Feb. 26, 2025

Last night, the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution, which means we’re in a new stage of our push to protect the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate and clean energy measures.

The resolution directs all the committees in the House to either spend or cut certain amounts from their budgets for the next 10 years. The Energy & Commerce Committee, for example, was directed to cut $880 billion in spending. The question each committee now has to answer is: What spending do they cut?

CCL’s answer is: Don’t cut the clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act!

That’s right — it’s time for our IRA defense work to go into full swing. Clean energy tax credits from the IRA are already driving jobs and investment in communities around the country, and the tax credits for clean electricity in particular are responsible for about half of the law’s potential climate pollution cuts.

It’s up to us to make sure Republican lawmakers are crystal clear on the value of the clean energy tax credits — and that they shouldn’t be sacrificed at any point in the budget reconciliation process.

So here’s the plan: At our Conservative Conference and Lobby Day in D.C. next week, right-of-center CCL volunteers will meet with Republican offices and ask them to preserve these clean energy tax credits.

Then, in the coming days, we will do a broad mobilization for all volunteers to reinforce that message. During our national meeting on Saturday, March 8, every CCLer with a Republican representative or senator will reach out with a strong message of support for the clean energy tax credits.

Plan to attend that meeting to help us send a strong signal at this critical time, when committees are beginning to discuss how to make their cuts. In the meantime, dive deeper into the details of the budget process and our IRA defense work in this new post on CCL Community.

Dive Deeper on IRA Defense

In other news this week

Save the date for CCL’s March fundraiser: Here at CCL, we usually ask you to contribute your time and talents to the climate cause. For a few weeks in March, we’ll ask for your financial support as well. If you sign up as a monthly donor to CCL — or increase an existing monthly donation — your gift will be matched 4-to-1 for the next three months. Keep an eye out next week for more details and the opportunity to contribute during this critical time for climate action.

Take action this week

If you have a little time: Follow along with our annual Conservative Lobby Day. CCL will be in D.C. next week for our Conservative Conference and Lobby Day. Take a few minutes now to make sure you’re following CCL on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, or X. That way you’ll be sure to see posts from our visit to Capitol Hill!

If you have more time: Attend tomorrow’s training for more IRA data. After his first “Data to Defend the IRA” training, CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli is now hosting a second session on Thursday, Feb. 27. This new training will discuss the sources in CCL’s expanded database of IRA benefits, which now includes additional data from Rhodium/MIT Clean Investment Monitor. With Congress moving forward on the budget reconciliation process, there's no better time to get your head around these numbers so you're ready to defend the IRA. Plan to tune in at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT this Thursday.

Featured chapter: CCL Oshkosh - read their feature here!

Upcoming trainings

3/2: Online Climate Advocate Training - A few times per year, CCL offers our “Climate Advocate Training” workshop online. This training covers everything you need to know to become a citizen lobbyist with CCL — in fact, we require it for new folks before you attend a lobby meeting with us. Your next chance to catch this workshop is this Sunday, March 2, at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT. Join the workshop this weekend so you’re ready to jump in at the next chance to lobby your members of Congress!

To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.