(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Republicans against Biden’s climate bills are now reaping the benefits [1] ['Daily Kos Staff'] Date: 2024-06-21 The “vote no and take the dough” Republicans are reaping the rewards of President Joe Biden’s signature accomplishments, with GOP districts receiving the lion’s share of clean energy manufacturing investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Investments from those two programs—the biggest investment the federal government has ever made to address climate change—are flowing heavily toward Republican districts in critical swing states. Passed in 2022, the IRA has brought $206 billion in investments in clean energy technology manufacturing, just as it was designed to do. Republicans not only unanimously opposed that package, but they also voted to repeal key parts of it more than two dozen times in the first year after it passed. The infrastructure law, which provides billions for shoring up the nation’s infrastructure in the face of climate change, had minimal Republican support—just 13 GOP House members. It’s a favorite among Republicans, who trumpet the millions coming to their districts and the jobs created. According to detailed analysis from Bloomberg, $161 billion of the investments from the package—and the jobs that came with it—have gone to GOP congressional districts, while just $42 billion has gone to Democratic districts. Case in point: The biggest single investment flowing from the IRA is a $13.9 billion battery plant built by Toyota in North Carolina. It’s massive—the size of 121 football fields—and will bring upward of 5,000 jobs to GOP Rep. Richard Hudson’s district by 2030. “This bill would raise taxes, throw money at woke climate and social programs that won’t work—including over $350 billion for ‘Green New Deal’ initiatives—and make the inflation crisis worse,” Hudson said in opposition to the bill. Then after it passed, he posted an article on his congressional website touting what the legislation would do to benefit North Carolina. He’s also met with business leaders in the district to talk about the opportunities the law has created. Another staunch opponent was Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who represents Georgia’s 11th District. He and his GOP colleagues in Georgia wrote an op-ed, calling the IRA a “bad deal” for Georgia. His district, however, has attracted “almost $7.5 billion of planned investment in solar panels and batteries” according to Bloomberg. Loudermilk has praised the construction of a massive electric vehicle battery factory in the district that will come with more than 3,500 jobs. “It’s an unbelievable advancement, the new battery plant is just unbelievably large,” he said. There are 51 total projects around the country that top $1 billion in investment from this law, and 43 of them are in red districts. But some of those districts are in presidential battleground states, including North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan—the top three states for investment of IRA funds. Arizona and Nevada are in the top 15 states for investment from the programs. That provides a powerful economic argument for Biden and the Democrats in these states, along with the chance to beat up on GOP incumbents for fighting the investments that are transforming their districts and states. RELATED STORIES: Watch yet another GOP lawmaker take credit for funds she voted against White House calls out Senate Republicans for riding Biden's coattails on infrastructure Biden’s climate triumph is the new Obamacare for Republicans [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/21/2247850/-Republicans-against-Biden-s-climate-bills-are-now-reaping-the-benefits?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_6&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/