Sanders, Democrats push effort to kill 'handouts' for fossil fuels in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
Share and Follow


Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and other critics of the Trump administration’s environmental policies are renewing a push for legislation that would end energy subsidies that the critics say will “destroy the planet.”

The proposal, dubbed the “End Polluter Welfare Act,” is a revival of past environmental advocacy efforts from Sanders and others, but it adds in targeted responses to Trump’s agenda-setting “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” signed into law this month after passage by GOP majorities in the House and Senate.

“Donald Trump has sold out the young people of America and future generations,” Sanders, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nominations in 2016 and 2020, said in a statement Friday. “The fossil fuel industry, with the support of Trump, is more concerned about their short-term profits than the wellbeing of the planet.”

“No more polluter welfare for an industry that is making billions every year destroying the planet,” Sanders added.

The Hill reached out to the White House, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Interior for comment.

The latest progressive-driven proposal would cut more than $190 billion in federal subsidies for the fossil fuel industry over the next decade, including $20 billion in bonuses designated for coal, oil, methane and pipeline companies through Trump’s massive tax and spending overhaul. It also would also prevent the Trump administration from opening new public lands to drilling and mining.

Other lawmakers who have signed onto the legislation include Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). It has more than 20 additional House backers.

“Fossil fuel companies have known for decades that their product harms the climate, but have made obscene profits while communities are left to clean up the mess,” Mahyar Sorour, a spokesperson for the environmental advocacy group Sierra Club, said in a statement. “Taxpayers cannot afford to write a blank check to Big Oil and Gas companies through subsidies, corporate giveaways, and sweetheart deals.”

Republicans, under Trump’s tight control, hold majorities in the House and Senate, so it’s unlikely the legislation will gain much traction ahead of the 2026 midterm election cycle. However, opponents of Trump’s shift in environmental policies argue that they want to highlight potential ramifications from the administration’s efforts.

“We are done letting fossil fuel executives write the rules while our communities pay the price,” Omar said in a statement on the proposed legislation. “The End Polluter Welfare Act will finally hold polluters accountable and eliminate these harmful subsidies once and for all.”

The “Big, Beautiful Bill” is projected to significantly ding the country’s efforts to reverse the effects of climate change and add more emissions that will exacerbate global warming.

Climate think tank C2ES found in an independent analysis that U.S. emissions will be 8 percent higher because of the new Trump law.

The most significant provisions in the Trump-driven policies repeal tax credits for green energy technologies such as wind, solar energy and electric vehicles efforts adopted in the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Ex 'Bachelor' host Chris Harrison opens up about leaving LA after scandal

Former ‘Bachelor’ Host Chris Harrison Discusses Relocating from Los Angeles Following Controversy

Chris Harrison has no second thoughts about stepping away from the Hollywood…
Owen Hanson commends Trump's attempts to curb cartel

Owen Hanson Praises Trump’s Efforts to Combat Cartel Influence: A Step Toward Safer Communities

Owen Hanson, once a prominent football player at the University of Southern…
Fond du Lac woman celebrates 107th birthday

Discover the Secret to Longevity: Fond du Lac Woman Celebrates 107th Birthday

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WFRV) – A remarkable milestone was reached by…
Attorney: St. Louis football players unfairly pepper-sprayed during game

Lawyer Claims St. Louis Football Players Targeted with Pepper Spray During Match

In Massillon, Ohio, a group of 23 high school football players from…
'No plans on moving': Liam Coen shuts down trade rumors surrounding Jaguars' WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Liam Coen Debunks Trade Rumors: Jaguars’ WR Brian Thomas Jr. Staying Put

In his regular press briefing, Head Coach Liam Coen dismissed any speculation…
Food banks are preparing for a surge as federal food aid could be paused in the government shutdown

Food Banks Brace for Impact: How a Government Shutdown Could Halt Federal Food Aid and Fuel Demand Surge

Food banks and pantries, already reeling from earlier federal program reductions, are…

Luxurious Bachelor Gulch Property Sets New Record with $24.9M Sale

DENVER (KDVR) In a remarkable real estate feat, one of the nation’s…
‘We don’t want anyone to starve’: Rep. Angie Nixon urges DeSantis to declare state of emergency

Rep. Angie Nixon Calls on Governor DeSantis to Declare State of Emergency to Prevent Hunger Crisis

State Representative Angie Nixon has warned that approximately three million Floridians are…