As Congress advances H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, many Americans are bracing for its devastating impact. Especially in Indian Country, home to some of the most marginalized and impoverished communities in the United States. As a Native-led nonprofit serving Tribal Nations, we see this bill as a direct assault on the economic prosperity and climate resilience Tribes are striving to build…and on one of the only viable pathways out of the extractive and exploitative fossil-fuel dependence that has been forced upon their communities.

Many Tribes have spent years working to overcome systemic barriers and develop clean energy projects that not only reduce harmful emissions but also create high-paying jobs, lower energy costs, and assert Tribal sovereignty over their own energy future. These projects rely on federal commitments (reparations) to support a just energy transition through tax incentives and stable policy. H.R. 1 undermines that commitment, retroactively changing the rules of the game, stripping away critical support, and leaving communities with no certainty and no capital to continue.

For Tribal Nations, whose lands have been exploited for centuries to power this country while their people remain disproportionately energy-insecure, this represents a continuation of historical injustice and a blatant disregard for the federal trust and treaty responsibilities owed to Tribal Nations. These cuts will stall projects already underway, drive developers out, and deny Tribal citizens the opportunity to strengthen and diversify their economies through the clean energy transition — made possible by their own lands and resources.

We commend those, like Senator Tillis (R-NC), who spoke out against the reckless disregard this bill shows for real-world impacts, especially on Tribal communities in his own state, whose voices have long been ignored. But a single dissenting voice cannot undo the harm Congress is inflicting with this legislation. Disregarding human suffering for billionaire tax breaks.

To Tribal Nations and all marginalized communities watching these developments unfold please know that the Alliance, our donors, partners and allies remain steadfast in our work. We will continue to advocate, to fight for equitable policies, and to support Tribes in building the resilient, sovereign energy futures you deserve.

This work is far from over, and we will not let this bill silence the momentum we have built together. Even as federal support is stripped away, Tribes remain undeterred in their progress. Clean energy has been a lifeline for many Tribal Nations, particularly those at the end of the power distribution lines, where unreliable power is still the norm. Where people die in their own homes due to exposure to heat and cold. Where unscrupulous utilities charge Native people double or more what non-Natives pay for the same electrons, down the same lines. And while this administration may try to turn back the clock, Tribes are not going backward.

Tribes are resilient. Tribes are adaptive. And they always have been. From time immemorial, Native peoples have innovated, survived, thrived, and excelled despite policies designed to erase them…and that remains true today. Even as federal clean energy funding is cut, Tribes will continue their energy endeavors and take the lead in America, demonstrating the literal and figurative power of clean energy to change lives for the better. They will continue installing affordable, reliable clean energy technologies like wind, solar and storage. They will continue creating good jobs in their own communities, and protecting their homelands. Energy sovereignty is a keystone in the foundation of self-determination. Because how can a nation be truly sovereign, when dependent on outsiders for its energy?

The disgraceful “One Big Beautiful Bill” may mark a turning point, but it is far from the end. It only fuels greater self-determination. Tribes will endure — because they always have. Like the buffalo, who head into the storm head-on and stick together, Tribal Nations will emerge on the other side stronger and more resilient than ever.