AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — President Trump's proposed "Big Beautiful Bill" remains stalled in the Senate after passing in the House last month. During a visit to Solar Liberty, Senator Schumer expressed deep concerns about its potential impact on the clean energy industry.
"This so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' is a big bad blow to Buffalo and Western New York," Schumer said. "They didn't do a haircut, folks. This is Defcon 1."
Adam Rizzo, president of Solar Liberty, said the current proposal would impact their business and make it more costly for consumers to access clean energy solutions.
"If the House bill moves forward as written, homeowners, nonprofits and small businesses would lose access to this critical support," Rizzo said. "That's not just a tax change; it's a direct hit to job creation, energy affordability and environmental progress."
Brian Gould, a local resident, installed solar panels on his home in 2013 and said he has saved an average of $1,000 per year on electricity costs.
"Beyond the obvious savings, I'm happy to know my system is helping to reduce greenhouse gases," Gould said.
Republican lawmakers like Congresswoman Claudia Tenney defended the budget bill, arguing that it would reduce energy costs and prevent significant tax increases.
"For years, Democrats have hindered our domestic energy production with Green New Deal mandates," Tenney said. "This bill unleashes our energy resources, lowers prices, and prevents the largest tax hike in history."
Schumer said that he expects the Senate to vote within the next ten days to finalize the budget by July 4.
