Global Courant
Biden and other administration officials have gone to Republican-controlled congressional districts to tout the White House’s agenda for Investing in America: the US bailout, the inflation reduction bill, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and the CHIPS and science bill. The administration hopes to demonstrate that the laws boosted job growth, domestic production and economic development, while reminding the public that Republicans largely opposed the measures.
A White House spokesman declined to provide more details about the Georgia groundbreaking.
“President Biden looks forward to demonstrating how Bidenomics brings high-paying manufacturing jobs to Georgia,” said Andrew Bates. “Bidenomics targets the growth of the middle class and provides the largest increase in production in decades. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are trying to repeal many of the policies fueling the manufacturing resurgence so they can cut taxes on the wealthy.”
Solar panel maker Qcells, owned by South Korea-based Hanwha Solutions, announced in January that it is planning a $2.5 billion expansion of its Georgia manufacturing facility, possibly the largest-ever investment in such manufacturing in the US. according to the Atlanta Journal constitution. It planned to expand its Dalton facility and open another one northwest of Atlanta.
Biden appeared Thursday at Flex, a manufacturing company in West Columbia, SC. Last week, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited the same location, as well as four other GOP districts, on a road trip across the South. A handful of other cabinet officials have visited Republican districts in recent days.
Biden said companies have announced $11 billion in clean energy production investments in South Carolina since the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Chips and Science Act.
“That’s why I fought so hard for the things I wanted to do. We didn’t get much help from the other team, but that didn’t stop us from getting it done,” he told the crowd.
Biden called many of the Republican state delegation opponents to the bills “attracting all these jobs.” He praised Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) for supporting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Chips and Science Law, “but I wish he had voted for the rest.”
The president also criticized Republicans such as Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, who later announced funding related to the bill they voted against.
“The implementation of this legislation also has another transformative effect: all those members of Congress who voted against it suddenly realize how great it is. And they brag about it. As my mother would say, ‘God loves them,'” Biden said.
Bates said Wilson was informed of Thursday’s visit, though lawmakers said in a statement that he was “appalled” to learn of the trip on Wednesday.
