Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of Texas, along with several Democratic colleagues from the state, has sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought. The lawmakers are urging the reversal of a decision to rescind $7 billion in funding for the Solar for All Program. This funding, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, was intended to help state and local governments install solar panels on income-qualified households and increase jobs and utility savings for low-income families in Texas.
According to the letter, “The EPA is moving to cancel 60 grants awarded under the $7 billion Solar for All Program. This would have created new or expanded existing low-income solar programs for over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States,” write the lawmakers. “Texas alone was set to receive approximately $249 million in funding, which was expected to help the most vulnerable from Harris County to El Paso County. This would directly harm 28,000 Texas households who were slated to see energy savings of 20% on their utility bills, better resilience against extreme weather, and healthier communities. In 2024, the risk of grid emergencies during peak hours in Texas was 16 percent. This year, that risk dropped by 0.5 percent due to solar and energy capacity growth.”
The group further stated: “This administration has improperly withheld billions in congressionally appropriated funding that was intended to benefit everyday Americans,” they continue. “As you are aware, Congress established the Solar for All program through the Inflation Reduction Act, with the goal to make energy more affordable for low-income families. The EPA does not have authority to rescind obligated funds – repeated court rulings have affirmed this. These actions violate the balance of power as the Constitution grants the legislative branch the authority to control federal spending. This is yet another attempt to undermine Congressional power.”
They added: “Congress made a commitment to families, small businesses and communities across this country to lower their utility bills and reduce harmful pollution through investments in clean energy. The Solar for All program was part of that commitment, and the EPA’s actions to rescind this funding effectively undermines that congressional intent. We urge that you reinstate these already appropriated funds as soon as possible so state and local governments in Texas can get to work,”
Representatives Marc Veasey (TX-33), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Greg Casar (TX-35), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Al Green (TX-9), Julie Johnson (TX-32), and Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) joined Congresswoman Escobar in sending this letter.
Veronica Escobar has maintained her seat representing Texas’s 16th district since first being elected in 2018. She won re-election campaigns against Irene Armendariz-Jackson multiple times—most recently securing victory with nearly 60% of votes cast in 2024.
The full text of their letter is available online.
