Transcript of Pelosi Remarks During Tour of Our Next Energy (ONE) Facility

Novi, Mich. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell for a tour of Our Next Energy, a high-growth battery start-up. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you, Congresswoman Dingell, for your leadership. When Debbie speaks, we all listen. We learned that a long time ago.

[Laughter]

It would be a good idea, to save time, because she had something valuable to say. Thank you, Debbie, for your kind words of welcome. Thank you. And Haley, for the invitation to be here today with you. Mujeeb, thank you for a staggering presentation of something so wonderful.

I was coming to see what the impact was of the legislation we passed, the whole package: rescue package, Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the CHIPS and Science Act and the, most recently, the Inflation Reduction Act. And I learned a lot about how it translates here.

Well, yesterday morning, I began the day at Silicon Valley at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. I say that because we can see that everything in science is very much connected when we're looking to the future. And some of what I'm seeing today is the transformation from the hard science to the consumer product. And keeping America number one. Isn't it great that it's called ONE?

[Laughter]

It has many reasons, it has integrity, it has ONEness. It's an acronym, Our Next Energy, and that's a great prospect.

Thank you, Mujeeb, for the tour you gave us, the leadership you've provided and the history in which he placed all this: that cars really almost began here. And now we're returning to that, with advanced technology, lower costs and better use of minerals. Thank you for that. And that's all about workforce development, which we see so clearly here.

I'm going to just say how excited President Biden would be to see what is happening here, not to speak for him, but to speak for his values. Because he's always about declaring our independence as a nation, in terms of the supply chain and being resourceful in how we do that. And you have been doing that, not only by how you have adapted your needs and encourage local – our country's development, but how you're a part of it as we go forward. And your accommodation of different minerals and different things that lead to cost and availability. And as you said, what's findable is less expensive. So supply chain: lower supply, bigger price; were plentiful, lower price. And thank you for that.

In terms of my two colleagues here, on a recent visit, right before we passed the CHIPS and Science bill, with Congresswoman Dingell and other Members of the Delegation, and we brought the UAW understanding that we could not continue with automotive manufacturing without more chips. A thousand in cars, 2,000, at least, in an electric car. And Debbie was very helpful in making sure we have the votes to pass the bill. But she understood the challenge, the subject, the opportunity that was there. Thank you, Debbie, for your leadership. She has been teaching us for many years about all of this. In fact, one of the first times that I came to the Auto Show in Detroit years ago, many years ago, we saw how, what we were trying to do with batteries and the rest had a, shall we say, a thermal dynamic challenge, as to how it wouldn't catch fire and the rest of that. So she's been on this case for a while, and we love what we heard you say today.

The President would love to see what has happened with the CHIPS bill. But also what Haley Stevens was so instrumental in putting in there, the science, education and research piece for how we go forward, how the chips are for here now, how we go forward. And that is workforce development as well. As well as what we discussed earlier, which has already been the justice piece of it that is so important to the President, that we have minority serving institutions, other communities, participating in how we go forward: justice, justice, justice, justice, in every bill, diversity, inclusiveness, community in all of it. And that's what we see here.

There were those who said, ‘Just pass the CHIPS bill, let's get on with it.' But Haley – Congresswoman Stevens – was very instrumental as Chair of the – what is the sub title? – Research and Technology Subcommittee of the Science, Space and Technology Committee. In insisting that the science piece, for the future, the education piece, For The People, the science, science, science and science, that's what it was all about. And when that passed, it has – it is making a tremendous difference. Thank you, Congresswoman Stevens, for your leadership in that regard, on that important Committee.

So when we talk about – when we're at SLAC, we're talking, ‘How does this science turn into a commercial product? How do we go from here to there?' And you have demonstrated that to us here. So I love the name ONE. I salute you, Mujeeb.

And isn't it great that we're here with Assemblywoman Breen, Assemblyman Puri and Madam State Senator thereto see the full interest. Some of these are pioneers in the legislature, where the districts they represent and women and, you know, more diversity in the legislature. We like that, we see that as a plus.

And I just want to mention this one bill that I want you to have hope about. Representative Stevens and Representative Dingell are leading our fight to build on the IRA's success – Inflation Reduction Act's success – their Shifting Forward Vehicle Technologies Research and Development Act. That's a real mouthful. This will further lower the cost of electric vehicles and ensure America dominates the auto industry in the future, with Michigan leading the way. With Michigan leading the way.

I said, I talked about Debbie and her long-standing involvement in these issues, even before being a Member of Congress and now in the leadership. And Haley, as you know, before she came to Congress, her mission was the respect that is owed to the auto industry in Michigan. And so much a part of the solutions that sprang from us. All I can say, being with you, is our hopes are riding on you.

[Laughter and applause]

Any questions?

Q. Brandon Hudson, Fox News Detroit. Good afternoon. Thank you. Hey, good afternoon. A couple of questions, Madam Speaker, if you don't mind. One is, look, I guess over the last few months, we have seen President Biden speaking about the future of EV, we see the Big Three making the push for EV. But we look at the price tag, it's still maybe sticker shock for a lot of these working families. So what needs to be done, to get these – help these working families make sure they're not left in the past, because over the past two years, if there's one thing we've seen, a lot of haves and have nots, and one issue is – that disparity is closed?

Congresswoman Stevens. Well, I think one of the biggest things we've actually seen with automobiles – and maybe many of you can relate in the room, this has been my story as well – is that the actual shortage of chips have resulted in a shortage of automobiles in dealerships, which is skyrocketing costs of just your standard automobile. Now we do see profound demand for our electric vehicles, and we can't produce fast enough. We can't produce fast enough, unless we have the supply chain. And so if you look under House Democratic leadership, alongside President Biden, the CHIPS and Science Act that has addressed the number one supply chain challenge, with the semiconductor shortage. Reshoring, bringing production back to the United States, now matched with an Inflation Reduction Act, which will be giving us the incentives for electric vehicles to make them more affordable.

This is a new time for us, as a society, and we've got a future to win. Our global automakers want to be producing here in the United States, selling all over the world so that we can continue to win the future. But that doesn't happen unless you have the supply chain. So the immediate goal is produce more cars, get them on lots, level set the costs, which is what we're doing, the steps we've taken – Democrats Deliver – continue to usher in the tax credits. And we do have a Member of our Energy and Commerce Committee here. So what am I missing, Debbie?

Congresswoman Dingell. I would just say, when the President toured the [Auto Show], Bill Ford showed him a vehicle that was $30,000, which is approximately the cost of other vehicles. As we move into mass production of vehicles, we're going to see the cost go down.

And the bill, the – you know that there are tax credits in, for the consumer, that are in the IRA, the Inflation Reduction bill, that are also designed to bring the supply chain back. We're not going to give tax incentives to vehicles that are being used in China, that are using materials from China.

So everybody's focused on it and we – it's not going to be a real market until it is affordable. But we are all focused on that, and if you had toured the Show with us, you would haveseen on the floor, would have showed Joe Biden cars that –

Q. I wanted to – I just – they kept me –

[Laughter]

Congresswoman Dingell. I'm sorry.

Speaker Pelosi. I would just like to add to that. We're talking about the cost of automobiles and, again, creation of jobs, which is essential to the well-being of America's working families. But understand this about President Biden. And I'm sure most of you know this, but let me take pride in him by saying his motivation is what happens at the kitchen table of America's working families: the cost, the cost of affordable health care, the cost of prescription drugs, which is one of the biggest concerns that America's families have, because of the cost. And it's a health issue, as well as a financial health issue. The cost of energy. Today, he's releasing more money from the SPR, more oil from the SPR, to lower the cost, recognizing that inflation is a global phenomenon right now in many countries that have a higher inflation rate than we do here.

But we're fighting that, whether it's the cost of drugs, whether it's the cost of health care, whether it's the cost of energy, whether it's the cost of food, because the cost of fuel is related to the cost of food in terms of meeting farmers' needs. And we have passed legislation to stop the exploitation of some foreign ownership of U.S. food supply in our country – Chinese-owned, mostly, supply – to reduce that cost.

Now, we passed them all in the House, and they have not passed in the Senate, because we need 60 votes. And we'll have to win this election to get two more Democrats in the Senate. But the needs of the kitchen table are the most – the kitchen table is the most important place of dialogue in the country, where people make their decisions. Are they going to make their car payment or are they going to pay their credit card bills? How they're going to educate their children, feed their family, pay for prescription drugs and the rest.

And that is what motivates the President. And if you look at every bill that he has sent down, whether you're talking about the rescue package, which has the Child Tax Credit, which helped people feed their families. And now you see with the additional benefits on Social Security, grandparents are saying, ‘Now I can feed my grandchildren.'

So the recognition that inflation is there, that it's global, that we have to counter it is one of long standing. But it is also one that we have always been working on inflation, high inflation or not. This President created over eight and a half million jobs in his first bill. Of course, working with the private sector. We know that is important for the job creation, eight and a half million jobs. Turneddown unemployment, from over seven percent to three and a half percent. Under three and a half percent. Raised wages. These things can contribute to inflation. But the fact is, we have many more people working. We have jobs that need to be filled, and I salute the great leadership of the President for honoring the needs of America's working families and for participating and being with them and listening as they express their concerns at their kitchen tables.

I think there's time for one more? Do we have another person –

Q. Madam Speaker, we talk about range anxiety, speaking with EV drivers. That's a critical component. You talked about the technology in the vehicles, vehicles themselves. Talk about what can the federal government do to further address the buildup of the EV charger network? How important is that piece as more people drive EVs?

Speaker Pelosi. That's an important piece, and I'll yield to my colleagues to – because I have to go to the airport. The – here's the thing. In the – just on the side, just so you know, in the previous Administration, they would not allow any funding for electrification in the bill. The previous Administration. He who shall be nameless. Any electrification in the bill, whether that was for research or whether it was for charging stations.

In the infrastructure – it's bipartisan infrastructure legislation. We have a giant step forward with it. But we need more. We need more, because we want people to use electric cars more, so the need and the opportunity will be inevitable that we will have more because it is essential, as you said, it is essential that people will be able to buy – some are doing it at home. But if you're on the road, you want that to happen. But understand that what happened in the Infrastructure Bill was drastic.

It was a giant step forward compared – but we needed it, but especially compared to the denial that was there before. I don't know why, maybe some allegiance to the fossil fuel industry. I don't know why, but nonetheless, an aversion to the electrification.

Congresswoman Dingell. And I would add to that: now – I mean, the Infrastructure Bill does have it – but now, all 50 states have submitted their plan for infrastructure build-out, and DOT has approved those plans. It's the State of Michigan, it's been – I know, I know, I never had such a big mouth. No one ever said anything. So the DOT has approved the 50 state plans. It's public, private, state, federal programs, but you can't have success until you build out the infrastructure, but it's very intentionally being focused on.

Speaker Pelosi. So you have the last word.

Congresswoman Stevens. Yeah, well, Mark Cavitt from The Oakland Press, we're so delighted to have you here. And all you are touching on is an issue of change management. Change that we have witnessed since this century was ushered in through the gig economy and the digitization of everything.

So thank you all for being here. I want to thank the Speaker, our members of the state House and Senate – and of course Mujeeb and ONE for hosting us.