Michiganders urge Republicans to think twice before killing thousands of jobs

All seven Republicans in Michigan’s congressional delegation backed a bill that would gut energy investments and put thousands of new manufacturing jobs at risk.

MICHIGAN—Every Republican representing Michigan in the US Congress voted last week for legislation to slash federal clean energy funding—a move that’s threatening to upend billions of dollars in manufacturing projects and eliminate tens of thousands of jobs across the state.

Now, elected officials, school leaders, and more than 100 Michigan business owners—including Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford—are urging Congress to reverse course on President Donald Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful” budget bill before it’s too late for Michigan’s economy. 

“It needs to be kept in place, the production tax credit,” Bill Ford, the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, said during a panel at the Mackinac Policy Conference this week. “Don’t change the rules once you’ve already made the investment. … That’s unfair.”

Here’s the Deal:

Sweeping legislation passed last week by House Republicans through the reconciliation process would deliver large tax breaks to the wealthy while slashing funds for essential programs like Medicaid and food assistance. And to help pay for it all, the bill would also repeal an array of federal clean energy tax credits established through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Those credits have helped turn Michigan into a national leader in clean energy manufacturing and electric vehicle production—adding more than 25,000 new jobs and nearly $40 billion in private investment statewide since the legislation was signed by President Joe Biden in 2022.

That includes funding to support Ford’s $3 billion, 1.8 million-square-foot BlueOval Battery Park project in Marshall, where Ford is actively hiring up to 1,700 workers to help make EV batteries.

But instead of protecting the tools that led to that economic growth, Michigan’s Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives effectively voted to dismantle them altogether, blocking any additional federal investments to support the project in Marshall, as well as dozens of additional clean energy projects that have been announced across the state.

And as the legislation advances to the US Senate, more than 100 small business owners, school leaders, and elected officials—including Ford—are sounding alarm bells and urging Republican lawmakers not to slam the brakes on Michigan’s economic momentum. 

“The economic impact of this investment cannot be overstated,” Marshall-area community leaders wrote in a joint letter to Michigan’s Congressional delegation. “These jobs will strengthen our communities and provide quality employment opportunities for local residents.”

Ford also warned that repealing federal tax credits that have been driving business investments and creating jobs across the state would “put in peril the plant and the jobs in Michigan.”

“Politicians can agree or disagree on whether those kinds of things are desirable, and that’s fine, but don’t change the rules once you’ve already made the investment,” Ford said this week.

A Unified Front—Against Michigan Workers

All seven of Michigan’s Republican members of Congress voted in favor of the bill, including:

• US Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte), whose district alone has reportedly seen more than 4,100 new clean energy jobs and $3.5 billion in energy-related investments.
• US Rep. John James (R-Shelby Township), who is running for governor and recently signed a letter warning that repealing federal energy tax credits would hurt American manufacturing—but then voted to do exactly that on the House floor last week.

Clean energy advocates say their votes directly threaten dozens of Michigan-based projects, including battery plants, electric vehicle manufacturing facilities, solar panel factories, and other energy infrastructure. The legislation would also reportedly put over $1 billion at risk for General Motors and Stellantis projects, which would help revitalize manufacturing facilities in Michigan.

In Barrett’s district, advocacy groups like Protect Our Jobs are already airing ads titled “Turned Your Back” across the Lansing media market. The campaign accuses Barrett of selling out voters living in his own district in order to fund new tax cuts for billionaires.

“Barrett turned his back on his constituents by voting against clean energy production and good paying jobs in his district,” said Kevin Self, senior advisor for Protect Our Jobs. “So we’re bringing the message directly to his constituents: Rep. Barrett turned his back on you.”

Busting Michigan’s Clean Energy Boom

Michigan has led the country in clean energy development since the Inflation Reduction Act became law and is now home to 74 announced projects that are set to generate about $40 billion in private investment and support over 25,000 newly announced clean energy jobs.

But since Trump was elected, the tide has been turning.

Workforce reductions have already hit four major clean energy facilities across the state this year, costing Michiganders nearly 600 jobs over the last four months, Climate Power reports. 

And recent estimates show that thousands more are on the chopping block.

“Thousands of these jobs and billions in funding are at risk due to tariffs and pushes to repeal historic clean energy investments,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement this month.

Among the Michigan facilities already dealing with layoffs and closures this year:

• General Motors, Factory Zero (Hamtramck): This month, GM laid off about 200 workers at its EV battery production facility, citing “market dynamics.” The cuts target the battery pack area and the company has no plans to rehire for the positions.
• ZF North America (Marysville): A $157.7 million federal investment for EV component production, which supported more than 500 jobs, was canceled after Trump took office, halting plans to modernize the facility and expand its workforce, according to the report.
• Samsung SDI (Auburn Hills): The company laid off 179 workers at its automotive battery headquarters in January. While no specific reason was publicly cited by the company, the cuts follow a pattern of job losses amid clean energy uncertainty.
• Akasol (Warren and Hazel Park): Two Michigan battery plants are being permanently closed this spring and all 188 workers are being laid off as production shifts out of state.

Advocates warn this will only be the beginning, particularly if Republicans in Congress charge forward with their plans to repeal incentives for developing more clean energy.

“Repealing clean energy investments would jeopardize hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs on its own,” said Lori Lodes, executive director of Climate Power. “On top of this crisis of uncertainty, repeal would devastate American manufacturing—halting construction, sending jobs overseas, hiking energy costs, and forfeiting the future to China and our other competitors.”

Recent polling shows 70% of Americans oppose repealing clean energy investments, with 65% of Michiganders saying it would harm the economy if the US ceded leadership on EVs to China.

READ MORE: What happens when Congress slashes Medicaid? Ask a Michigan mom.

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