You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen… but I bet you’ve never heard of NEVI.
No, that’s not the name of one of Santa’s reindeer, but rather a billion-dollar Biden boondoggle that was supposed to build thousands of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across the country that thus far hasn’t delivered on its wish list.
NEVI, or the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula program, along with the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) program, were set up as part of the president’s so-called infrastructure bill to construct thousands of EV chargers across the country. More than two years later, only two stations—one in Ohio and another in New York—have opened as a result of the $7.5 billion initiative.
Unlike this summer when staff for the Secretary of Energy caused a backup by blocking off a charging station to stage a photo op, there’s no waiting to use these stations. During its first four days in operation, the Ohio station was used for a total of just four hours. Maybe that is because the Biden chargers are not compatible with Tesla vehicles, the most popular EVs in the country. So while it may be a Merry Chrysler or Happy Honda Days for those stopping to power up at one of these locations this holiday season, it won’t be a very Merry Tesmas.
It’s a good thing Santa’s sleigh is pulled by a team of reindeer and not an electric vehicle or he would never complete his Christmas trip, especially if he was planning on using Biden’s battery chargers. While EVs have a charge range of 300 miles or less, Santa travels almost 400 million miles on Christmas Eve, and cold weather reduces the mileage an EV gets. If his sleigh was battery powered, Santa would have to stop and recharge over 1.3 million times during the course of his trip!
Biden is blaming the Buy America requirements for delaying the construction of the chargers. If the parts aren’t made in America—as mandated by law—they aren’t going to be put together by Santa’s elves at the North Pole either. Instead, billions of dollars from taxpayers would likely be wrapped with a bow and given to Chinese companies, as a gift from the White House, to do the job using forced labor.
The White House infrastructure coordinator boasts, “the openings of the EV charging stations in Ohio and New York are proof that Bidenomics is working. President Biden invested $7.5 billion in EV charging through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and we’re seeing huge results across the country because of it.”
Folks, only in Washington would spending billions of dollars to open just two charging stations be touted as a national success story. This money would be better left in the pockets, or stockings, of taxpayers to help cover the cost of basic necessities that are getting more and more expensive because of Bidenomics.
The only charge most taxpayers will ever get from the billions spent on these EV stations is the bill.
That is why I am giving my December 2023 Squeal Award to President Biden.
And because there are at least four other federal programs already providing support for EV charging stations, I am introducing legislation to pull the plug and ensure this is the last Christmas hard-earned taxpayer dollars are used to fuel Biden’s failing EV charging initiative, just for them to be given away the very next day.
Enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, and I’ll make sure Rudolph with his nose so bright is the only thing guiding Santa’s sleigh this Christmas Eve night.
Author: Joni Ernst
Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.
Name one thing you’ve cut Phony Joni.