Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023
Floor Speech
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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I had to come down to the floor to speak out strongly against the Republican's pro-China bill.
The Republican Party wants to take us backwards. They want to raise costs on American families, and, in doing so, a lot of people ask why? Why would you attack American auto companies and American workers? Why would you work against the best interests of the American people, putting money back into their pockets?
It has become clear to me, serving here, especially this Congress this year, that my good friends on the GOP side are shills for polluters. It is to the detriment of the people that we represent back home.
American workers and automakers have made huge innovations in the cars and trucks that we drive. Now, electric vehicles being built in America, rather than China and other parts of the world, are more energy efficient, they are fun to drive, and that is why American demand for EVs has jumped 350 percent over the past 2 years alone.
U.S. electric vehicles have now zipped past a major milestone. There have been 1 million battery electric vehicles sold in a single year. This year's sales suggest that a rising number of consumers are making that jump. Why?
Because you don't have the maintenance costs and you don't have to stop at the gas station. We have a lot of work to do on electric vehicle charging.
It has been the Clean Air Act that has helped American innovators and automakers and workers make our cars more fuel efficient over time. Now, with the historic Inflation Reduction Act passed by a Democratic- led Congress, signed by President Biden, we are bringing those manufacturers and the batteries and the assembly here in America.
It has been announced there is $150 billion in investments across nearly 400 new facilities in U.S. electric vehicle and battery manufacturing in Ohio, in South Carolina, mostly in these red districts. This is a Made in America moment, and we have to reject these kind of take-us-backward attempts offered by the grand oil party, the GOP. Why did they do this?
Because they are so tied to fossil fuels and gas and oil that they cannot see what lies ahead of us. That means investing in America for a change. That means having these vehicles manufactured here in America and not being worried about China eating our lunch.
They are the ones that are trying to flood the EU market. Do you think our European allies want to buy Chinese-made vehicles?
No, they want to buy American-made vehicles because they are our allies. Please vote against this pro-China GOP bill. Vote for America and vote ``no.''
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