Senator Stabenow Visits the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center to Announce Major Progress on Her Make It in America Agenda

Stabenow Toured the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center and Participated in Test Drive of New F-150 Lightning

Thursday, June 03, 2021

DEARBORN — U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) visited the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center today to highlight the major progress made on her Make It in America agenda. While at Ford, she participated in a test drive of the new F-150 Lightning. Last week, the U.S. Senate acted on legislation Stabenow authored to address the semiconductor shortage and supply chain vulnerabilities, strengthen Buy American laws and provide consumer incentives for purchasing electric vehicles.

 

“From Henry Ford’s first automobile to today’s amazing all-electric F-150, Michigan has always led the way on innovation,” said Senator Stabenow. “Our companies and workers are world leaders in advanced manufacturing. They are making the private-sector investments needed to electrify the industry, but they can’t do it alone. That’s why I’ve been leading the effort in Congress to electrify our auto industry by strengthening the existing consumer tax credit with incentives. It was great to be at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center today to continue to learn firsthand what our auto manufacturers and workers need to enter the next generation of manufacturing.”

 

“Senator Stabenow has been a champion for the automotive industry, and her visit today was an honor for our team as we create an electric future based on America’s best-selling vehicle for more than four decades—the F-150 Lightning, which will be built here in Dearborn by UAW employees,” said Lisa Drake, Ford’s chief operating officer for North America. “Ford is investing in America to make high-quality, high-performance electric vehicles that are good for customers, good for the planet and good for business.”

 

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow is leading the effort in Congress to advance the next generation of American manufacturing and create good-paying jobs here at home.

 

Addressing the Semiconductor Shortage

The global semiconductor shortage has harmed our manufacturing industries and led to worker layoffs. It is alarming that American industry is so over- reliant on chips made in foreign countries. That is why Senators Stabenow and Peters authored a provision in the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act to provide $2 billion for the production of mature semiconductor technologies.

 

Clean Energy Manufacturing

Senator Stabenow’s American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act passed the Finance Committee as part of the Clean Energy for America Act on May 26th. It boosts manufacturing by providing a 30% tax credit to retool or build new facilities to produce clean energy technologies, like semiconductors, batteries and electric vehicles.

 

Electric Vehicle Consumer Tax Credit

Senator Stabenow is leading efforts to get more drivers behind the wheel of electric vehicles. The Clean Energy for America Act includes her expanded consumer tax credit. It provides a base credit of $7,500 with an additional $2,500 for vehicles made in America and an additional $2,500 for union labor for a maximum credit of $12,500. This bill was reported from the Finance Committee on May 26.

 

Buy American Laws

Senator Stabenow’s Make It In America Act will soon pass the Senate as part of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. It strengthens Buy American laws through increased transparency and accountability. And it closes loopholes so American tax dollars are buying American goods and services.

 

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