US Senators are currently working to pass (or not pass) the Biden Administration's Build Back Better legislation, which is packed with measures that are supposed to help with social safety, as well as the fight against Climate Change.
That said, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who regularly opposes bills and legislation that most Democrats support – and most Republicans oppose – has taken to the media to make it clear that he simply can't get behind Build Back Better. As far as it stands now, it seems Manchin is planning to vote against the proposal.
To be clear, it's not just the that Manchin is pushing back against, and it's not just Manchin who will decide the bill's fate. Biden and fellow Democrats hoped to be able to count on Manchin for a vote in favor of the legislation since most Republicans will likely vote against it. Meanwhile, moderate Republican Senator Mitt Romney said the bill isn't dead, but rather, it's on "life support." He calls it "greatly flawed," and he doesn't think it's going anywhere.
As it specifically relates to the potential federal EV tax credit, Manchin is opposed to the additional $4,500 that would be offered for electric cars built in the US by union workers. He has said that various automakers' vehicles should be able to "speak for themselves" and be on a level playing field, rather than special privileges given to some companies over others. Manchin goes so far as to call the union-specific credit anti-American.
For a time, it seemed as though a change to the tax credit may work to get folks like Manchin on board. However, now that the Senator has said he can't support the entire Build Back Better bill as it stands, it may not matter if the language related to the potential electric car tax credit gets revamped.
At this point, it's just a waiting game to see how the Senate vote plays out. If it doesn't pass, we'll be looking to 2022 to learn if politicians are able to pass smaller, more specific bills that address some of the most important aspects of Build Back Better. For this reason, this is not to say there will never be a renewed EV tax credit, though it doesn't look promising in the near term.
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