WASHINGTON (DIya TV) — Republican lawmakers working on extending the Trump-era tax cuts are confronting an unexpected challenge: billions of dollars in clean energy investments flooding their districts, thanks to a law championed by President Joe Biden.

Eleven of the 26 Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee represent districts that have received hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars in clean energy investments since Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law in 2022. This law, passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress, authorized extensive, uncapped tax credits for clean energy projects nationwide.

According to data tracked by the pro-clean energy research group Atlas Public Policy and Utah State University, more than $165 billion in clean energy manufacturing investments have been announced across the country since the IRA’s passage. Strikingly, over 75% of this funding—roughly $125 billion—has been directed into Republican-held congressional districts.

As a result, these lawmakers are now caught between their commitment to fiscal conservatism and the economic boom these clean energy projects are bringing to their constituents. This dilemma is especially evident as Republicans on the committee propose spending cuts totaling at least $1.5 trillion to offset the cost of extending the 2017 tax cuts, which are projected to cost more than $4.5 trillion over the next decade.

The largest clean energy investment in any GOP lawmaker’s district comes from Representative David Kustoff of Tennessee. His district, which includes a new Ford manufacturing hub for electric F-series trucks, has attracted over $6.5 billion in investments from Ford and its partner SK Innovation. Kustoff has publicly praised the development, which has benefited from the tax credits in Biden’s IRA. Ford, in turn, has been lobbying lawmakers to preserve these credits, which made the project financially viable.

Kustoff isn’t alone. In Ohio, Representative Mike Carey welcomed a $4.4 billion investment by Honda to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant. Carey celebrated the estimated 2,000 jobs the plant is expected to create in his district southeast of Columbus. Similarly, in Indiana, Representative Rudy Yakym expressed excitement about General Motors’ $3.5 billion investment in an EV battery facility in South Bend, which is expected to create 1,700 manufacturing jobs.

In Texas, Representative Beth Van Duyne’s district in Fort Worth saw a $700 million investment from MP Materials to develop a rare earth magnet production facility, with nearly $60 million in clean energy tax credits from the IRA. These magnets will supply components for GM vehicles, drones, and other advanced electronics.

Nationwide, 16 of the top 20 House districts receiving clean energy investments are represented by Republicans, according to the same analysis. While many of these lawmakers have supported the clean energy projects in their districts, they now face a tricky situation as they work to extend tax cuts while also considering major spending cuts that could threaten these investments.

Ryan Bernstein, co-leader of the energy practice at McGuireWoods Consulting, noted the tough balancing act. “This is a tough assignment for tax committee members who have renewable projects in their districts,” Bernstein said. The debate on whether to cut or maintain these energy tax credits remains a behind-the-scenes discussion, with little public dialogue on how the issue will be resolved.

Some industry experts are concerned that cutting or curtailing these tax incentives could undo the progress already made. Josh Brown, president of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, voiced his concern about the potential for the government to backtrack on commitments made to businesses like Ford. “Any possibility that this investment could be pulled back or curtailed based on congressional action is very concerning,” Brown said.

As Republicans wrestle with this dilemma, the stakes are high—not just for clean energy policy, but for their constituents who stand to benefit from the economic boost these projects bring.