In an effort to increase support for the law and investments in clean energy, the president arrived in the state of Colorado.
As the president landed in Colorado for a two-day tour, he and Rep. Lauren Boebert engaged in an exchange over the Inflation Reduction Act.
Joe Biden and Lauren Boebert trade blows in Colorado
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law by Biden in 2022, with the stated goal of “enabling us to boldly take the actions necessary to achieve all of my climate goals, those that we have set and that we have pursued “.
The law calls for investments in energy and climate, totaling more than $300 billion, to reduce the nation’s carbon emissions by 40% from 2005 levels by the end of 2030.
In addition to setting aside $64 billion to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies through 2025 and allow Medicare to negotiate the cost of certain prescribed drugs, the law created a 15 percent minimum tax rate. for large companies.
Critics say this strategy increases energy costs while having no effect on lowering inflation.
In a speech at the White House marking the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden addressed a group of Democratic lawmakers and others: “He is taking the most most aggressive ever achieved in terms of climate and energy. This law is one of the greatest engines of jobs and economic growth this country has ever seen.
Joe Biden will tour the CS Wind plant, considered the largest factory in the world and based in Pueblo, the largest city Boebert represents in the state’s 3rd Congressional District.
According to the company, Biden’s action made its $200 million Pueblo expansion possible. An additional 850 jobs will be created through the expansion, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
However, Boebert voted against it, joining other Republican representatives, and she described it as “a total scam.” In an interview with KKTV 11 News, Boebert reiterated his displeasure with the expense incurred for the act.
She said, “I’m very proud of the work that CS Winds is doing there in Pueblo and the jobs that they’re creating, but like I said, this will cost all taxpayers from the Abatement Act inflation of hundreds of billions of dollars. »
She continued: “This bill was a total scam. »
A White House spokesperson responded: “If Rep. Boebert had gotten his way, Colorado would have lost more than $5.6 billion in infrastructure projects already announced in Colorado, including more $1 billion for high-speed internet as part of President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, which Boebert called “waste” and “waste.”
Meanwhile, Biden chastised the representative for not supporting the act at a campaign fundraiser. Biden said: “The congresswoman, along with every one of her Republican colleagues, voted against the law, and then she vowed to repeal it. »
He added: “She called it a “massive failure”.
This is not the first argument between Lauren Boebert and Biden on this law. They have also clashed before.
In August, Biden mocked Boebert over CS Wind’s expansion in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Biden commented: “Coincidentally, CS Wind is Congresswoman Lauren Boebert – you know, the very quiet Republican lady – it’s in her district. »
Boebert responded to this in a post on X, the former Twitter platform, saying: “Joe Biden said I was a ‘very quiet Republican lady.’ Wishful thinking, Joe. I call you every day, and I’m not going to shut up anytime soon! »
As we can clearly see, these exchanges between Joe Biden and Lauren Boebert in Colorado are not new. They have also already discussed this inflation reduction law in the past.
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