Ga. Democrat senators vote for bill stripping one of state's largest employers of EV tax credits

Georgia's two senators voted for the Democrats' recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act, even though it strips South Korean automaker Kia — one of the state's largest employers — of eligibility for the law's electric vehicle tax credits. 

Kia, which employs thousands in Georgia, is planning to build another automobile factory in the state and hire 8,500 people, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Due to domestic assembly requirements in the new law, however, the automaker's EV and plug-in fleet will lose their current eligibility for $7,500 tax credits on the purchase of new electric vehicles.

In an interview with "Just the News, Not Noise," Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) called out Georgia Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, saying the pair forgot to check whether Kia vehicles would qualify for the EV credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. 

"Kia currently has vehicles that qualify for the tax credits," Scott explained. "After this legislation is signed into law, none of the key vehicles will qualify for it. And so as I understand it, Kia has sent a letter to their dealer saying, "'You need to get people to go ahead and sign the contract today before the legislation is signed, or they're not going to be eligible for the tax rebate."

Warnock is currently running for reelection against Republican Herschel Walker, former University of Georgia football star.

"This is even more proof that Raphael Warnock's partisan reconciliation bill is going to hurt Georgia's manufacturers, businesses, workers, and economy," a spokesman for Walker's campaign told Just the News.  

"He knew this provision would hurt Georgia, and he did nothing to take it out because at the end of the day he will always do more for Joe Biden than he will for Georgia," the spokesman continued. "This will likely lead to a loss of jobs in communities across the state. The people of Georgia need a Senator who will actually fight for them and their way of life. Herschel Walker will make sure that every Georgian has the opportunity to succeed and fight for all of Georgia."

Ossoff and Warnock have not responded to requests for comment.