TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Unlocking America’s Future
DATE: February 5, 2025
RE: Trump’s Funding Freeze Is Icing Out GOP Districts
Since taking office, Donald Trump has signed a number of executive orders halting funds to crucial projects that are rebuilding America’s infrastructure, creating jobs here at home, and fueling our economy.
Not only is this illegal, but it’s hurting the very same people who voted Donald Trump into office.
Although the Inflation Reduction Act was passed with exclusively Democratic support, 80 percent of the law’s investments have gone to Republican congressional districts.
Now that Trump has frozen many of the projects, what does that mean for red states in America? Take a look below at some of the projects being paused or canceled due to Trump’s illegal spending freezes:
- Alabama: A $20 million grant to help homeowners make repairs has been indefinitely suspended by the Trump administration in Camp Hill:
- A 2023 storm dropped marble-sized hail on Camp Hill, Alabama—a town of 1,000 people where nearly half of residents live below the poverty line and most don’t have insurance.
- “These are real human beings,” said Warren Tidwell, director of the Alabama Center for Rural Organizing and Systemic Solutions. “We have one woman in her 80s who lives alone, and if she does not get her roof fixed, well, we’re going to have a senior in her late 80s who is homeless.”
- Camp Hill is represented by Republican Rep. Mike Rogers and Republican Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt.
- Florida: The Tampa port was awarded nearly $2 million to clean up pollution, which is now frozen. Florida is represented by Senators Rick Scott and newly-appointed Ashley Moody and has unified Republican control of state government.
- South Carolina: A South Carolina port in a district represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace that was awarded nearly $2 million to clean up pollution has seen the funding frozen.
- Washington: Zero Emissions Northwest, a Spokane-based company that helps rural communities secure federal grants to save energy costs has furloughed three employees after the government halted reimbursements:
- Zero Emissions Northwest president David Funk said that the farmers and business owners he had been working with currently have $1.9 million in projects under construction after signing up for the Rural Energy for American Program. The USDA has paused reimbursement and his clients are owed at least $250,0000.
- “Farmers are losing money every day,” Funk said. He added that the program was “advancing the goals of the new administration—we are working on lowering operating costs, we are generating energy locally, and we are buying American products.”
- Spokane is in Washington state’s 5th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner.
Over 64% of the offshore wind manufacturing and supply-chain investments made or announced are in Republican congressional districts. Now, these investments are at risk of being cut because of Trump’s spending freeze:
- Florida: St. Johns Ship Building in Palatka, Florida builds and maintains vessels to service offshore wind farms. Palatka has been represented by a Republican since 1989. Florida’s 6th Congressional District is currently vacant, having been most recently represented by Republican Mike Waltz, who is now serving as President Trump’s National Security Advisor.
- Louisiana: Over 300 workers at a Galiano-based shipbuilding company built and operate a ship that helps operate and maintain offshore wind farms. Galiano is represented by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
- Wisconsin: Shipbuilding firm Fincantieri is building customized offshore vessels for wind power in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, which is part of a congressional district represented by Republican Rep Tony Wied.
South Carolina: At least 150 workers at Nexans near Charleston manufacture undersea cables for wind farms, in a congressional district represented by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.
