Staff Reports
President Biden’s ambitious green energy plans have drawn the ire of Senator Joni Ernst, who is not feeling the holiday spirit towards the administration. Instead of gingerbread cookies and candy canes, she’s handing out the “Squeal Award” for December to Mr. Biden, poking fun at his efforts to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. With a sly wink and nod, Senator Ernst is calling out the President for what she sees as wasteful spending and underwhelming results.
Biden’s big spending to build two EV charging stations earns him a ‘Squeal Award’https://t.co/FNRD6eOo7F pic.twitter.com/1QRhjYX2xD
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 21, 2023
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI), a $5 billion initiative established under the bipartisan infrastructure law, was intended to pepper the American interstate highway system with 500,000 new EV charging stations by 2030. However, with only two stations to show for two years of work, Senator Ernst sees this as a yuletide flop rather than a festive success story.
Senator Ernst isn’t just playing the Grinch, though. She’s also taking action by introducing legislation to rescind $7.5 billion designated for EV charging from the infrastructure law. This is a bold move in her effort to push back against what she refers to as a “billion dollar Biden boondoggle” that is falling short on its promises.
But the war on this “billion dollar Biden boondoggle” doesn’t stop there. Senator Ernst is teaming up with her fellow Republicans in Congress, and even some Democrats, to challenge the Biden administration’s temporary waiver of “Buy America” rules. These rules require projects to use domestically sourced materials, but the administration’s waiver could allow foreign parts to be used, potentially increasing dependency on China. Senator Ernst is making it clear that when it comes to building EV charging stations, she wants to see American-made materials, not imports from the North Pole or anywhere else.
In response to the White House’s celebration of the opening of the first two stations, Senator Ernst isn’t holding back. She’s putting the pedal to the metal in her campaign to hold the Biden administration accountable for what she views as a lackluster performance in advancing the green energy agenda.
