UPDATE Re: The Window is Closing to Stop or Change the One Big Ugly Bill

[Bentley Johnson]

Apologies if you receive my email a couple of times but it is All Hands On Deck Red Alert time.

As many of you have already seen, the Senate passed the Big Ugly Budget Bill a couple hours ago after a marathon of amendment votes. Three Republicans (Senators Tillis, Collins, and Paul) voted with the Democrats to oppose the bill, and Vice President Vance was the tie-breaking vote. 

Michigan LCV's statement blasting the bill's passage is here. 

The bill now heads back to the House, where it could (and likely will) be taken up for an up-or-down vote as soon as tomorrow. 

Call your House Member (call (202) 224-3121 to be connected) and to tell them to reject the budget reconciliation and explain why you oppose it! Michigan's House offices also can be found here. 

If Michigan's Congressional Republicans vote (again) in support, before they vote they should hear a crystal clear message from voters that this bill is out of step with our values here in the Great Lakes State.

More information on the bill is below to help you pick from many options about why this legislation is so horrible and cruel.

In many ways, the bill got worse over the last 36 hours (which is why LCV and Climate Power have joined together with a national ad campaign drawing attention to that fact). 

It is not hyperbole to call it the most destructive bill in history -- it rips healthcare away for 17 million people, ends or reduces nutrition assistance and benefits across the country (largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history), jacks up the price of energy and healthcare, tries to destroy renewable energy in this country, and much more -- all to pay for massive tax cuts for the utlra-wealthy and the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history while blowing a $4+ trillion hole in the national deficit.

We did see a few horrendous provisions that were stripped out or changed as a result of advocacy work and pressure -- a section to sell off our public lands was removed, an amendment passed 99-1 to strip out a ban on state regulation of Artificial Intelligence, and a new excise tax on renewables was pulled back. However the aggressive phase out of the vast majority of the clean energy incentives remain in the bill and House members must hear that this is unacceptable.

For more information, check out Evergreen's action real-time analysis of what is in the final Senate-passed version: Senate GOP's Updated Megabill is Still a Disaster for Affordability, Jobs, and Clean Energy. And check out the attached Michigan-specific fact sheet from Climate Power about the impacts to Michigan's clean energy future. Finally, if you'd like a super detailed overview of the reconciliation package, check out this 20+ page doc from S2 strategies.

Other actions to consider besides calling House members:

-Make a personal social media post to let people know what is happening in Congress -- polls are showing that more than half of Americans have not heard ANYTHING about this bill

-Encourage your local or state elected official to make a statement or post about it, I see a lot of state elected officials doing that already

-Talk to a friend or family member about it

-Write to your local news outlet, especially in districts where the media market includes House Republicans

-Be ready to show up for events focused on accountability in July and August should this legislation pass the House tomorrow

Please let me know if you would like assistance in any of these actions!

With My Deepest Dismay and Undaunted Determination,

Bentley

On Fri, Jun 27, 2025 at 7:45 AM Bentley Johnson <ben...@michiganlcv.org> wrote:

If you're reading this message I consider you a champion and a shining beacon of light!

Apologies for cross-posting. 

Bottom Line, Up Front: This message contains resources and tools about the budget reconciliation package aka the Big Ugly Bill in Congress right now. Read a memo about what's in the Senate version, which could be up for a vote this weekend, and then call or message Michigan's members of congress to urge them to oppose the bill. Scroll all the way down to the bottom for a sample script to call your Senator or U.S. House Representative.

State of Play

You've probably heard about the Republican's budget and tax "megabill" -- the One Big Ugly Bill that guts critical health care, nutrition benefits, clean energy incentives, public lands, and much more simply to hand out bigger tax cuts to billionaires, protect Trump officials from judicial oversight, and pour hella taxpayer money into deportations.

We are entering gut check time on the Big Ugly Bill -- it's already passed the House, and the Senate could very well take up their version this weekend and pass it before next week. If that happens, the House could potentially pass the Senate version in a hurry. 

Despite a lot of details changing each hour and a lot of uncertainty, the window to make your voice heard to Michigan's Members of Congress is closing fast. We want to make sure you have some tools to know how to voice your concerns and urge Members of Congress to vote against this bill.

Below are some resources to do just that. Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and the operator can connect you to the office of the Representative or Senator of your choice.

LCV MEMO ON THE BIG UGLY BILL

• MEMO: Higher Energy Bills, Fewer Jobs, and Polluter Payouts… The Full Big Ugly Bill is Here
• There are much more details in that doc but here is the overall conclusion:
• The Bottom Line

This isn’t a compromise — it’s an effort to ban home-grown clean energy and transfer more of families’ hard-earned money to fossil fuel barons. The Senate bill tears out the foundation of a growing U.S. energy economy, handing our competitive advantage to other countries; threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs; drives up household costs hundreds of dollars per year; and hands the Trump administration new power to shut the door on domestic manufacturing. The U.S. is building real momentum towards a clean energy future and its myriad benefits. This new text in the Big Ugly Bill slams it into reverse.

• MEMO: Big Ugly Bill Sells Off Our Public Lands for Polluters and Penthouses
• There is REAL momentum for stripping out the bad provisions that would directly sell off millions of acres of our federal public lands -- lands that we ALL own and enjoy as Americans. 5 House Republicans just said it's a bright red line for their vote and is unacceptable for them. Let's keep the pressure on.

More Toolkits and Talking Points

• CLICK HERE for Senate reconciliation talking points

• Click here for the MLCV Protect Our Public Lands Online Toolkit  -> www.michiganlcv.org/protect-public-lands-digital-toolkit/
  
  
• Public Lands Sell Off Messaging Guidance

ONE-CLICK ACTIONS (send a message directly to your Member of Congress)

• Tell Congress: Reject the GOP's Reckless Reconciliation Package
  
  
• Tell Congress: Stop Trump's Dirty Energy Scheme
  
  
• Tell Congress: Keep Public Lands in Public Hands
  
  

SHARE YOUR STORY! If you (or someone you know) has a compelling story to tell about how this bill will affect you, reply to me and cc in...@michiganlcv.org and we can support you in telling that story in an impactful way -- it could move the needle on how Members of Congress or the media looks at this legislation.

PREVIEW OF MY NEXT MESSAGE: During all of the action in Congress and elsewhere, the EPA is steadily rolling back health and climate and water protections one-by-one. Recently the EPA announced they were undoing or weakening several clean air standards, including for carbon pollution from power plants. 

We need people to make comments to the EPA to oppose these rollbacks, and to sign up at public hearings. I'll be sending another message about details on how to do that, but in the meantime, check out this toolkit and consider signing up to give your own comment at an upcoming hearing on July 8th for the carbon pollution rollbacks. 

New key facts about the Big Ugly Bill that we should be repeating as often as possible to drive our point home

• Increase household energy bills by over $400 — with some states facing much higher increases (Source: NYT — based upon four different studies)
• Spike electricity prices by 50% (Source: Energy Innovation — note this is wholesale power prices)
• Cut off America’s cheapest and fastest energy source when energy demand  is surging — solar, wind, and batteries accounted for 93% of all new energy in 2024 and is on pace to hit that same level in 2025 (Sources: US Energy Information Administration; American Clean Power Association)
• Lose 1.6 million jobs (Source: Energy Innovation)
• Sideline over $500B in private investment (Source: Rhodium Group)

Call Script on Budget Reconciliation Bill: Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and the operator can connect you to the office of the Representative or Senator of your choice.

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] from [TOWN/CITY]. 

● I’m calling about the budget bill that passed in the House and is before the Senate.

● I’m urging you to stand against the aggressive attacks on clean energy grant and loan programs and tax credits that are cutting costs for people right here in Michigan. 

● It is simply outrageous to me that the bill would take billions of dollars in clean energy tax credits and investments away from American households, workers, and businesses. 

● In Michigan alone, $39.85 billion in investments and 25,357 good-paying jobs are at risk if IRA programs are repealed. 

● You must not vote to pass any version of the budget reconciliation bill with cuts to these vital programs that are lowering energy costs for families, reducing deadly pollution, and making it easier for businesses to transition into the clean energy future. 

● On top of that, the Senate bill contains measures that would sell off public lands for development and damage them through more drilling and other activities. I love these places, we all own them, and I expect you to keep public lands in public hands.

● Stand up for the health and safety of our communities. Stand up for lower energy costs. Protect our public lands. Do what’s right and oppose attacks on these critical programs, our special outdoor places, and our health. 

● Thank you for your time.   

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Bentley Johnson (he/him/his) Federal Government Affairs Director Michigan League of Conservation Voters / Michigan LCV Education Fund

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