Big Beautiful Bill May Still Yet End the Green New Deal

Big Beautiful Bill May Still Yet End the Green New Deal
US Vice President JD Vance at the US Capitol in Washington on Saturday.Photographer: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg
Senate Republicans have taken a significant step toward passing President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative package, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” with a narrow 51-49 procedural vote on June 28, 2025. This $4.5 trillion tax and spending bill, which survived a crucial Senate test after intense negotiations, could reshape America’s energy landscape and potentially dismantle key components of the Green New Deal. As the bill advances toward a final vote, its implications for energy policy, particularly the rollback of green energy subsidies, are coming into sharp focus.

A Marathon Session and a Divided GOP

The Senate’s late-night session was marked by high drama, with Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune working tirelessly to sway reluctant Republican holdouts. According to Bloomberg, the bill’s passage through this procedural hurdle required last-minute concessions, including adjustments to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and the removal of a controversial federal land sales provision that had drawn opposition from senators in Idaho and Montana.

Despite the victory, the bill faced resistance from three Republican senators, reportedly concerned about Medicaid cuts and the potential increase in the national debt. Their dissent underscores the fragile coalition supporting the legislation, with the self-imposed July 4 deadline looming.

Energy Policy at the Core: Dismantling the Green New Deal

For energy-focused observers, the bill’s most significant feature is its aggressive rollback of Green New Deal policies. As noted by Energy News Beat contributor David Blackmon in his Substack post, the Big Beautiful Bill targets over $15 billion in what Republicans call “Green New Deal nonsense”—subsidies for unreliable renewable energy sources, globalist climate funds, and what critics describe as “woke” EPA grants.
A key provision terminates the $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) tax credit effective September 30, 2025, a move that Blackmon argues will refocus energy policy on reliable, market-driven solutions. This aligns with broader Republican priorities to prioritize fossil fuels and nuclear energy over wind and solar, which critics contend raise electricity costs and compromise grid reliability. However, some X posts have raised concerns that the bill retains certain wind and solar subsidies indefinitely, potentially undermining its anti-Green New Deal stance. These claims remain unverified and highlight the need for scrutiny as the bill’s final text is debated.
What people are not talking about is the simple fact that there are 79,000 wind turbines and countless solar panels that are not funded for end-of-life or land reclamation. This will affect a significant amount of farmland that we will need.

Tax Breaks, Spending Cuts, and Border Security

Beyond energy, the 940-page bill is a sprawling package of Republican priorities. It extends the 2017 tax cuts from Trump’s first term, increases the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200 per child (with inflation adjustments post-2025), and boosts funding for national defense and border security, including deportation efforts. A tentative deal with House Republicans raises the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for five years, a concession aimed at winning over lawmakers from high-tax states.

The bill also includes spending cuts, though details remain contentious. Critics, including some GOP senators, worry about its impact on Medicaid and the national debt, while supporters argue it’s essential to prevent a massive tax increase when Trump’s first-term tax breaks expire in December.

What’s Next for the Big Beautiful Bill?

While the bill has cleared a key hurdle, its path to final passage remains uncertain. Senate Republicans must navigate internal dissent and Democratic resistance, with the latter forcing a full reading of the legislation to slow its progress. President Trump hailed the vote as a “great victory,” but the final Senate vote and House approval are still needed to meet the July 4 deadline.

For the energy sector, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If passed, the Big Beautiful Bill could mark a decisive shift away from Green New Deal policies, prioritizing energy independence and affordability. However, as Blackmon notes, the bill’s success depends on maintaining GOP unity and overcoming Democratic efforts to derail it. Any compromises that dilute its energy provisions—such as retaining renewable subsidies—could weaken its impact.

The Bigger Picture

The Big Beautiful Bill represents a bold attempt to realign U.S. policy with Republican priorities, from tax cuts to energy deregulation. Its energy provisions, in particular, signal a rejection of the Green New Deal’s climate-centric approach, which critics argue has burdened consumers with higher costs and an unreliable grid. As the Senate debates the bill’s final details, the energy industry and American taxpayers will be watching closely to see if this “big, beautiful” vision delivers on its promise to end the Green New Deal once and for all.

Sources: Bloomberg News, David Blackmon’s Substack, X posts