Manchin Steps Up Clash With Biden Over Electric-Car Tax Credits

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Senator Joe Manchin stepped up his fight with the Biden administration over its implementation of the president’s signature climate bill in a way Manchin says over-emphasizes clean energy technology, turns away from fossil-fuel production and spends too much.“They just want to throw caution to the wind and put more money out and throw more money from the Treasury and credits that basically are not going to accelerate how quickly that we can be totally self-reliant,” Manchin, a Democrat of West Virginia, said on “Fox News Sunday.”

In separate comments on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Manchin wouldn’t rule out taking legal action to stop the administration’s interpretation of the legislation.

“I’m looking at every option I possibly have to make sure that that bill is fulfilled and basically implemented the way it was intended to,” he said.

The law in question is the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, passed last year with support from Manchin after he, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Biden hammered out a deal behind closed doors that circumvented the usual legislative process.

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The law makes billions of dollar available — through subsidies and tax credits — to promote the production and purchase of electric vehicles.

Manchin says the administration is veering from lawmakers’ intent by not putting enough into domestic production of fossil fuels. It also, he says, has been too permissive in allowing foreign automakers to access some vehicle credits.

Other lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Washington, have voiced concern over how the Treasury is deciding which countries can supply battery materials for cars that eligible for credits.

“I’m going to fight and fight back hard,” Manchin said on Fox. “And I would hope that my Democrat and Republican friends in the legislature will feel the same way and will work with us to hold the administration’s feet to the fire.”