Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is putting a maintain on three of President Trump’s nominees to the Treasury Division over forthcoming administration guidelines anticipated to hamper tax credit for wind and photo voltaic power.
Grassley, who lately engaged in a heated back-and-forth with Trump over the dealing with of judicial picks, introduced his transfer to put the holds within the congressional document Friday.
“Today, I placed a hold on three Department of the Treasury nominees,” he mentioned within the document, particularly naming Trump’s picks for the division’s common counsel, assistant secretary and undersecretary.
The Iowa Republican added that whereas the “big, beautiful, bill” lately handed by Congress allowed for wind and photo voltaic firms to proceed to get tax credit if they start development of their initiatives within the subsequent 12 months, the Treasury Division “is expected to issue rules and regulations implementing the agreed upon phase-out of the wind and solar credits by August 18, 2025.”
“Until I can be certain that such rules and regulations adhere to the law and congressional intent, I intend to continue to object to the consideration of these Treasury nominees,” Grassley mentioned.
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) can be putting a maintain on the identical nominees — Brian Morrissey Jr., Francis Brooke and Jonathan McKernan — for a similar cause, a supply acquainted informed The Hill.
It’s not totally clear whether or not these holds will even have a major influence on the nominations. Sometimes, they’ll gradual the method of confirming a nominee, requiring the chamber to spend hours debating and taking extra votes for every nominee with out in the end blocking them.
With a handful of nominees, holds are extra of an annoyance, however in some circumstances — like in 2023, when Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) put holds on a whole bunch of army promotions — they’ve efficiently delayed nominations for a major interval.
It’s uncommon, although not unparalleled, for lawmakers of the president’s get together to put holds on nominees.
Grassley’s choice was first reported Monday by C-SPAN’S Craig Caplan. Curtis’s transfer was first reported by Politico.
The maintain comes amid a bigger spat between Grassley and Trump after president informed the senator final week to ax the Judiciary Committee’s “blue slip” custom of permitting home-state senators to veto nominees to district courts and U.S. attorneys’ workplaces.
Trump reposted feedback that accused Grassley of being “sneaky” and a “RINO,” an acronym for Republican in title solely.
“I was offended by what the president said, and I’m disappointed it would result in personal insults,” Grassley mentioned in response.
Trump, in the meantime, has expressed frustration on the tempo of the Senate’s affirmation of his nominees, saying lawmakers ought to keep in Washington to verify extra folks forward of their yearly August recess.
How quickly to part out power tax credit was a significant sticking level amongst Republican lawmakers as they put Trump’s megabill collectively.
The invoice provisions that Curtis helped to safe permitting wind and photo voltaic initiatives to get the complete worth of a profitable tax credit score if they begin development inside 12 months of its passage.
After the invoice was handed Trump signed an government order that directed the Treasury to take a strict method to restrict which initiatives are eligible.
The administration has been notably hostile to wind and photo voltaic and broadly supportive of different power sources, together with oil, gasoline, coal and nuclear.
