Dear Representative:
On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to prioritize investments in the budget reconciliation bill to expand tax credits for families that purchase an electric vehicle (EV) made with union labor. Transportation labor has long fought to ensure that federal investments in America’s transportation network also create good jobs for the workers who support that network, whether in manufacturing, construction, operations, or maintenance, and these investments should be no different. Congress must protect this provision as the bill’s framework is negotiated in the coming weeks.
This proposal will make middle and working class Americans eligible for a $7,500 credit for purchasing an electric vehicle and provide a $4,500 bonus if the vehicle is made by union workers, and an additional $500 if the vehicle is using a battery made in the U.S. Altogether, middle-class consumers would be eligible for a $12,500 rebate, making it easier for families to make both a climate-conscious and budget-friendly purchase. Importantly, by tying investments in electric vehicles to the creation and maintenance of good union jobs, Congress can ensure that incentivizing the purchase of the vehicles of tomorrow drives growth in American manufacturing, and ensures that future jobs are good, middle class jobs.
This initiative and other pro-union and pro-worker provisions will set the tone in this industry for decades to come. They must be included in any final product put forward by Congress. TTD applauds this strategic federal investment to support union labor and ensure that EVs are, and remain, an American industry that supports working families. We thank Senator Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Kildee for their leadership on this legislation and urge members to support this initiative as well as other pro-union and pro-worker provisions in President Biden’s agenda.
Sincerely,
Greg Regan
President