Free Market Coalition to Congress:  Don’t Extend the Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit

WASHINGTON – This morning, a coalition of 30 free market policy groups, led by the American Energy Alliance, sent a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady objecting to any expansion of the federal electric vehicle tax credit.

The letter encourages Chairman Brady to reject attempts by the EV lobby and their allies in Congress to slip a tax-credit cap increase into upcoming spending packages. Congress has a responsibility to spare American taxpayers increased economic harm from a subsidy that benefits only those who can afford expensive electric vehicles.

American Energy Alliance President Thomas J. Pyle made the following statement:

“The electric vehicle tax credit subsidizes expensive vehicles that only a fraction of wealthy Americans want and that do not necessarily pollute less than modern internal combustion engines.

“Why should a typical middle class American family — with a median annual income of $44,000 —  subsidize the lifestyles of the rich and famous? Political leaders should recognize that Americans can make their own decisions about how to spend their money and what cars they want to drive. We shouldn’t give handouts to wealthy individuals to help defray the cost of their luxury vehicles.”

The letter was signed by the following organizations who share AEA’s wariness of the irresponsibility of extending this massive government handout:

American Energy Alliance | ALEC Action | American Commitment | American Conservative Union | American Consumer Institute | American Legislative Exchange Council | Americans for Limited Government | Americans for Prosperity | Americans for Tax Reform | Caesar Rodney Institute | Center for Freedom and Prosperity | Civitas Institute | Competitive Enterprise Institute | Consumers Action for a Strong Economy | Council for Citizens Against Government Waste | E&E Legal Institute | Freedom Foundation for Minnesota | FreedomWorks | Frontiers of Freedom | Georgia Public Policy Foundation | Heartland Institute | Heritage Action | Hispanic Leadership Fund | Independence Institute | Less Government | Mississippi Center for Public Policy | National Black Chamber of Commerce | National Tax-Limitation Committee | Rio Grande Foundation| Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The full letter can be read here.

For more about electric vehicles, click here, here, and here.