Welcome to Evergreen’s Power Surge! We made this bulletin because we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between keeping up with the news and your well-being. Here’s our latest round-up of the climate and clean energy news we're following—including short summaries and why we think they matter—and positive stories to keep us all hopeful in this fight.
(⚡Today’s voltage: 543 words)

🔌 News We’re Plugged Into

Budget Reconciliation and Defending Essential Programs

The House GOP’s budget bill, released this week, is a disaster—but it’s also a moment of opportunity and action. It’s a chance for us to stand up and advocate for vital programs and show how the threatened climate and clean energy investments are already making a difference.

It’s been no secret that many Congressional Republicans would try to attack essential programs like Medicaid, food assistance, and climate, clean energy, and environmental justice programs. But it’s been all talk—until this week. The GOP released spending plans that include repealing effective clean energy and climate programs to fund tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. (We’ve summarized it all here.)

While this is a concerning, pressing moment, here’s the upside: Clean energy and climate programs are designed to help everyone, and they are. People across the country, Democrats and some Republicans, businesses, and advocates are all pushing back to protect the programs that are helping them.

In Pennsylvania, over 100 businesses signed onto a letter (PDF) expressing their strong support for these federal tax credits that boost private sector growth, global competitiveness, and jobs. 12 House Republicans called for revisions, and previously, 21 House Republicans wrote a letter opposing cuts to clean energy credits (PDF), which help their constituents through more affordable energy and local investments in industry, infrastructure, and jobs.

Why this matters—The draft bill is currently going through the most critical stages of debate before it goes to the full House for a vote, and Republicans need almost every vote from their very small majority to get it across the finish line. Now is the best time for your representative to hear from you. Give them a call to protect critical services and programs.

Amp up your knowledge:

• Evergreen Action: Rapid Analysis: House GOP’s Clean Energy Repeal and What it Means for the Affordability Crisis

• Union of Concerned Scientists: What’s at Stake in the Budget Reconciliation Process (And What You Can Do About It)

• Utility Dive: 21 House Republicans oppose cutting clean energy credits to pay for tax cuts

• E&E: Defenders of climate law tax credits outline their demands

💪 Empowering Headlines

• The Allegheny Front: Map shows what’s possible with federal clean energy investment in PA

• Canary Media: Colorado’s rural electric co-ops are determined to build clean energy

• Georgia Public Broadcasting: Climate advocates in Atlanta call on Congress to protect clean energy jobs

• Inside Climate News: Climate Disaster Survivors Organize Across America, Turning Common Bonds of Loss Into Action

• Reuters: Democratic-led states sue to block Trump's halting of wind projects

• E&E News: Enviros release climate emissions data after EPA refused

🎧 Watts On Our Playlist

Parenting in a Climate Crisis

Check out our first-ever episode of Hope This Helps, a podcast about climate and the costs for working people. Hosts Hannah, Emma, and Andrew are joined by Jessica Hamilton, Senior Director of Digital Advocacy at Evergreen and author of The Climate Conscious Parent, a substack about parenting in the age of climate change. The conversation ranges from Scottish fertility festivals to paying for childcare to foraging. Give it a listen, and let us know what you think!

• Tune in to Hope This Helps: Think of the Puddles

✨ Sparking Joy

☝️ One last thing…

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