WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden set out Thursday to remind Americans that every Republican in Congress voted against his landmark climate law that is now spurring a wave of clean manufacturing and energy projects across the country.
And he took direct aim at one Republican in particular: polarizing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who, like all of her fellow Republicans, voted against Biden’s Cut Inflation Act. Last year.
“Since taking office, we have seen over 60 domestic manufacturing announcements throughout the solar supply chain,” Biden said in remarks to West Columbia, SC “One of the most significant is in Dalton, Georgia. You might find it hard to believe but this is Marjorie Taylor Greene’s neighborhood.”
Biden then smiled and added, “I’ll be there for the inauguration.”
Biden’s Cut Inflation Act contained billions of dollars in green tax credits for companies that build electric vehicles, charging stations, solar and wind installations, electric vehicle batteries and power plants. other renewable energy infrastructure.
Greene’s congressional district in northern Georgia will house a future $2.5 billion solar power plant planned by South Korean company Hanwha Qcells. The installation, billed as the largest solar project in US history when it was announced in February, is expected to create 2,500 jobs.
Private companies have announced $500 billion in investments in manufacturing and clean energy since Biden signed the Cut Inflation Act last August, according to the White House.
“I didn’t get a lot of help from the other team,” Biden said, “but that didn’t stop us from doing it. And it’s going to transform America.”
Greene’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This year, Greene introduced articles of impeachment against Biden.
In his remarks, Biden continued to embrace his new “Bidenomics” rebranding of his economic agenda, which is headlined by efforts to revive domestic manufacturing. The label is part of the White House’s bid to try to get credit for low unemployment, historic job growth and other positive economic measures that have failed to appease the the country’s economic concerns resulting from high inflation for 40 years.
“I’m not here to declare victory over the economy,” Biden said. “I’m here to say we have a plan that changes things quickly.”
Biden spoke from a factory to highlight a $60 million solar investment from Enphase Energy, which has partnered with manufacturing company Flex to produce microinverters that convert solar energy into usable electricity. The project is expected to create 600 jobs in Republican-dominated South Carolina.
“Jobs that used to be in Mexico, India, Romania and China are now coming back to South Carolina,” Biden said.
The draft is slated for the congressional district of Rep. Joe Wilson, RS.C., who did not attend Biden’s event. Andrew Bates, deputy White House press secretary, said the White House informed Wilson of the event beforehand.
House Republicans have proposed repealing the Inflation Reduction Act, which also contained measures to reduce prescription drug costs, but those efforts have not moved forward.
Clean energy projects have accounted for more than 142,016 new jobs announced in 31 states since the Cut Inflation Act took effect, according to analysis by Climate Power, which advocates for clean energy.
The group also found that more than half of all clean energy projects are in districts represented by House Republicans.
“Some analysis has said the laws I signed are going to do more to help red America than blue America,” Biden said. “That’s fine with me because we’re all Americans. My view is that where the need is greatest, that’s where we should help.”
Contact Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden jabs Marjorie Taylor Greene to vote on Cut Inflation Act