Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) launched another attack against President Joe Biden, saying his electric vehicle tax credit plan “spits in the face of rural America.”
In a blistering statement, Manchin accused the Biden administration of “ignoring the law in pursuit of its radical climate agenda.”
“The Administration just will not stop ignoring the law in pursuit of its radical climate agenda — no matter the cost,” Manchin said. “This proposed guidance completely spits in the face of rural America with a brand-new interpretation that makes close to the entire country eligible for a credit that was designed to help drive investment in fueling infrastructure for electric, hydrogen, or natural-gas powered vehicles in rural and low-income areas where private businesses can’t or won’t invest.”
Manchin’s comments come after the Biden administration announced millions in new federal funds aimed at lowering electric vehicle costs for consumers. The expansion of the tax credit will provide up to 30% of charger costs to people and businesses living in low-income or urban areas, which officials said will make it more affordable to install EV charging infrastructure and increase access to charging for drivers living in areas with limited access to chargers.
“This proposed guidance ensures that rural Americans will remain stuck at the end of the investment line, the exact problem this tax credit was supposed to address, choosing to give hand-outs to those that don’t need it while ignoring its responsibility to provide a hand up to rural communities at risk of being left behind,” he continued. “This proposal is just another example in a long line of this Administration’s attempts to force electric vehicles on Americans and spend money that Congress didn’t account for and doesn’t have in the budget.”
Manchin accused Biden of routinely abusing the Inflation Reduction Act, which he previously expressed hope in.
“The IRA can do so much good for our country, especially rural states such as West Virginia,” he said. “This Administration must follow law and implement the bill as written, not the law they tried to pass but didn’t.”
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The Biden administration’s environmental policy has been one of Manchin’s main areas of criticism since Biden took office. Manchin has claimed that the environmentalism of the administration is indicative of the far-left increasing its control of the party, and he has used that suggestion to openly flirt with a third-party run for president.
Manchin has yet to announce whether he will run, but he said conversations with Biden in the coming weeks will play a critical role.