Sierra Club Statement on Trump Executive Order to “Freeze” Unspent IRA and IIJA Funds

Washington, DC - Tonight, Donald Trump signed an executive order attempting to "freeze" or claw back unspent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding. The IRA, the landmark climate law, is responsible for creating more than 400,000 new clean energy jobs and spurring more than $422 billion in investmentsin total across the country-including more than 200,000 new jobs and $200 billion in Republican-held districts alone. An estimated 84% of funding from the IRA has already been released, making this order largely symbolic, but it still stands to hurt the local economies and job markets now thriving thanks to the successful law. As of late November of 2024, an estimated $570 billion in IIJA funding had already been announced for more than 66,000 projects and awards in all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories.

In response to tonight's announcement, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:

"A president wanting to help Americans would make investments in jobs, their communities, and their health. Instead, Donald Trump wants to slam the door on the lifeline that has created hundreds of thousands of jobs, is upgrading the country's infrastructure, and brought about the rebirth of American manufacturing. The IRA and IIJA are making our air and water cleaner, powering the industries and jobs for America to remain the global leader, and helping working families get by in tough economic times. Any effort to rescind or repeal this important funding is an attack on the life and livelihoods of the American people."

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.