In 2025, John James voted to repeal clean energy tax credits and make them harder to access, threatening clean energy jobs in Michigan. Prior to voting for the passage of the Republicans’ reconciliation bill, John James signed a letter urging House Republican leaders not to repeal the clean energy tax credits created.
Since the beginning of the Trump administration, clean energy projects that were projected to create hundreds of jobs in Michigan were cancelled or stalled.
In 2023, John James voted against protecting the ban on oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes.
July 2025: John James Voted For The Senate FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill, The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Which Extended $4 Trillion In Expiring Tax Cuts, Added New Tax Breaks, Appropriated $448 Billion In Defense, Border, And Immigration Enforcement Funding, Increased The SALT Deduction To $40,000, And Cut Medicaid And Other Social Programs To Offset The Costs. In July 2025, John James voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, the “motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permanently extend nearly $4 trillion in expiring individual and business tax cuts, create several new tax breaks and fund border and immigration enforcement and air traffic control upgrades. It would cut Medicaid and other safety net programs to partly offset the cost. Among other provisions, it would raise the statutory debt ceiling by $5 trillion and appropriate more than $448 billion in mandatory funding for Trump administration priorities and other needs, including $153 billion for defense, $89 billion for immigration enforcement, and $89.5 billion for border control and security. It also would increase the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 annually for five years for households making up to $500,000 a year until 2030, when it would permanently revert to $10,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214. The bill was ultimately signed into law. [House Vote 190, 7/3/25; Congressional Quarterly, 7/3/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
May 2025: John James Voted For The FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Included $3.8 Trillion In Tax Cuts Offset By $1.5 Trillion In Spending Reductions To Programs Like Medicaid And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In May 2025, John James voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill that would provide for approximately $3.8 trillion in net tax cuts and $321 billion in military, border enforcement and judiciary spending, offset by $1.5 trillion in spending reductions, as instructed in the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). It would raise the statutory debt limit by $4 trillion and provide for increased spending on defense and border security, spending cuts on social safety net programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also includes a mix of tax breaks for businesses and individuals; tax increases on universities and foundations; and a phase-down of clean energy tax credits. […] It would reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by requiring states to shoulder more of the cost, expand work requirements for SNAP, extend programs authorized under the 2018 farm bill, and prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Program. As amended, it would cap state and local tax deductions at $40,000 for households with incomes below $500,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 214. [House Vote 145, 5/22/25; Congressional Quarterly, 5/22/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
John James signed A letter that asked republicans to protect clean energy tax credits, Even Though He Ultimately Voted For Trump’s Tax Bill
March 2025: John James Signed A Letter Urging House Republican Leadership Not To Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits In The Reconciliation Process. According to a letter led by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, "As Members of the House Republican Conference, we write to emphasize the importance of prioritizing energy affordability for American families and keeping on our current path to energy dominance amid efforts to repeal or reform current energy tax credits. We strongly support the Administration’s America First national energy dominance initiative. Continued energy expansion and innovation is necessary to bolster national security, create goodpaying American jobs, and guarantee energy independence. The United States continues to produce energy from a myriad of sources that are cleaner and more efficient than anywhere else in the world. As our conference has long believed, an all-of-the-above energy approach, combined with a robust advanced manufacturing sector, will help support the United States’ position as a global energy leader." [Letter, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, 3/9/25]
February 2025: Trump Administration Froze Or Rescinded $21 Billion In Federal Funding For Michigan Clean Energy Projects, Halting Battery Manufacturing And Grid Upgrades. According to Michigan Public, “The Trump administration has rescinded or frozen previously approved funds amounting to nearly $21 billion for Michigan clean energy projects. The federal government is rescinding some grant funds and freezing other grants, loans, and loan guarantees. Nearly $400 million for consumer energy rebates and weatherization assistance for Michigan homes is on hold. Money to make the electric grid more resilient to intense storms, amounting to $102 million is frozen. Battery manufacturing for electric vehicles was to get $500 million in federal support, but that has been put on hold. $20 billion dollars in loans or loan guarantees for clean energy projects by Consumers Energy and DTE Energy and others, including the $1.5 billion loan guarantee for reopening the Palisades nuclear plant are being held up.” [Michigan Public via Archive.org, 2/14/25]
2023: John James Voted Against An Amendment To Prohibit Oil And Gas Leasing In The Great Lakes. According to the House Clerk, John James voted against Amendment No. 131 (offered by Rep. Brad Schneider) to H.R. 21, which would have prohibited the Secretary of the Interior from issuing oil and gas leases in the Great Lakes. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 209 to 215. [Congressional Actions, Amendment No. 131 to H.R. 21; Congressional Actions, H.R. 21; House Vote 64, 1/26/23]
2023: John James Voted Against An Amendment That Would Have Reaffirmed The Prohibition Of Drilling In The Great Lakes. According to Detroit News, “Another difference is that John James will have a voting record for Democrats to target, including a vote against an amendment that would have reaffirmed the prohibition on drilling in the Great Lakes, Marlinga said. John James' team in response said Thursday he had worked with Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia, to add an amendment to the underlying bill, the Lower Energy Costs Act, in committee that reaffirmed the drilling ban in the Great Lakes.” [Detroit News, 9/7/23]