Pete Buttigieg Addresses Legitimacy of Electric Vehicle Subsidies

At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting on June 27, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg engaged in a dialogue with a Republican Congressman about the legitimacy and value of subsidies offered for electric vehicles.

Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL) describes the subsidies as “bribes” that are too expensive for the American government to afford. Secretary Buttigieg countered Rep. Bean’s claims by highlighting how electric vehicle subsidies are valid financial initiatives and necessary long-term environmental investments.

At the Committee meeting, Rep. Bean claims that the $7,500 subsidies provided for electric vehicles are being offered only because “the Biden administration is on a mission to force consumers to buy electric vehicles that they clearly don’t want.” 

Rep. Bean asks the Committee, “Is there a time that you will say, ‘You know what? This is just too expensive, this is just too expensive; we wanna rethink this policy.’ Is there ever a time that you’re gonna say that it’s too expensive?”

Secretary Buttigieg responds, “If you think this is expensive, wait ‘til you find out how much oil and gas subsidies you’ve been supporting.” Buttigieg’s claim refers to the United States’ estimated $757 billion in annual government spending on fossil fuel subsidies, contributing to a $7 trillion worldwide total. The budget for the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credits has been estimated at $85 million as of 2023. 

Secretary Buttigieg adds, “Also, wait till you find out the economic impact, that some economists have put it, $15 million every hour or every day, trillions of dollars every year, from allowing the environmental conditions in this country and planet to worsen.”

Buttigieg serves as the United States’ first openly gay cabinet secretary. Buttigieg came out at the age of 33, after internally struggling with fears about how being out could potentially hurt or hinder his political career. Read more about Buttigieg’s experiences with homophobia in his career here.