Appalachian Voices urges “No” vote on catastrophic budget reconciliation bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2025

CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Appalachian Voices, (540) 798-6683, dan@appvoices.org

Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a massive budget reconciliation bill officially known as the “One, Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1) with broad impacts for Appalachian communities. The full House is expected to vote on this measure as soon as tonight. The legislation includes measures to repeal or impair various energy and manufacturing tax credits; establish options for energy and infrastructure projects to evade important community environmental protection laws; rescind funding for energy, reforestation, economic development and environmental remediation projects; require more logging, coal mining, and oil and gas production on federal lands; reduce access to nutrition and healthcare for low-income Americans and extend tax cuts that largely benefit the most wealthy Americans.

“This may be a beautiful bill for the wealthy in their beach houses, but it’s a terrible bill for everyday Appalachians,” said Chelsea Barnes, Director of Government Affairs and Strategy with Appalachian Voices.  “A bill that cuts healthcare and nutrition benefits while also increasing electricity prices means more people in Appalachia and across the country will have to make impossible choices between keeping the heat on in the winter, buying groceries or a prescription medication, or seeing their doctor. Ultimately, if enacted, it is not hyperbole to say that this bill will result in more people going hungry and dying from curable illnesses.”

“Provisions to allow energy and infrastructure projects to skip environmental reviews mean more communities will be at risk from harmful landslides, polluted drinking water and dirty air from poorly constructed projects,” said Bri Knisley, Director of Public Power Campaigns at Appalachian Voices. “Appalachian communities are already dealing with the messes of companies that failed to protect the land, air and water of the communities they work in; we don’t need more of that. We urge members of Congress to vote no on this dangerous bill and find a better path forward on these important issues.”