Mike Johnson Seeks Money From Democratic Bill He Called ‘Legislative Malpractice’

The House speaker opposed the Inflation Reduction Act and has vowed to roll it back. But he's quietly urging the EPA to give his district a grant funded by the law.

WASHINGTON — Like everyone else in his party, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) voted against the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022.

But now that it’s the law, it turns out he’s happy to tap into that money for his district.

In a Nov. 15, 2024, letter, Johnson privately urged the Environmental Protection Agency to award an environmental justice grant to a city in his district ― a grant funded by the IRA, E&E News reported Friday.

“I understand the funds will be used to support their ‘Empowering Communities with Innovative Solutions to Reduce Pollution, Build Climate Resilience and Improve Public Health Project,’” he wrote, per a copy of his letter obtained by E&E News.

The speaker is throwing his support behind a grant application from the city of Minden and Louisiana Tech University. Their project “is designed to focus on water quality and sustainability … specifically targeting underserved communities in north Louisiana,” he wrote.