Senate Republicans introduced a pair of bills on Wednesday aiming to strip the country of its electric vehicle tax credit and instead replace it with an obligatory $1,000 tax payment to be used for repairing roads.
“The hard-earned money of taxpaying Americans should not cover the cost for the luxuries of the nation’s elite. Nor should we be allowing China to infiltrate our markets and undermine our supply chain,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said in a statement.
“Repealing these reckless tax credits from the Biden administration once and for all will stop Washington from giving handouts to our adversaries and high-income individuals. Wyoming families should not foot the bill for expensive electric cars they don’t want and can’t afford.”
Barrasso worked alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to craft the Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric (ELITE) Vehicles Act, which would rid the nation of a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit.
Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) co-sponsored the effort, in addition to seven other Republican senators.
“I’m proud to join Sen. Barrasso in this effort to end the exorbitant tax burden that was placed on American households to fuel a reckless and unrealistic environmental agenda,” Thune said.
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) also introduced the Fair SHARE Act on Wednesday, which proposes a one-time fee of $1,000 on all-electric vehicles at the manufacturer level and at the point of sale to contribute to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). It supports the maintenance of essential infrastructure and is funded by a federal excise tax on fuel.
“EVs can weigh up to three times as much as gas-powered cars, creating more wear and tear on our roads and bridges,” Fischer said of the bill.
“It’s only fair that they pay into the Highway Trust Fund, just like other cars do. The Fair SHARE Act will require EVs [electric vehicles] to pay their fair share for the upkeep of America’s infrastructure.”
Under the Biden administration, the federal government invested in electric vehicle charging stations and promoted credits to encourage consumers to use transportation methods that run off clean energy free of pollution.
In stark contrast to former President Biden’s efforts, the Trump administration has frozen electric vehicle charging funds and has warned against a major switch from traditional gas-fueled cars to charged modes of travel, despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s proximity to the president.
