Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee’s push to override vetoed legislation failed in the House Wednesday evening.
The Flint Democrat says it’s a false choice that the U.S. must pick between combating climate change and protecting American manufactures.
President Biden recently vetoed Kildee’s bill that would have reinstated tariffs on certain Chinese manufacturers who produce solar power technology.
Biden says the tariffs must be frozen to meet renewable energy goals. But Kildee accuses the Biden administration of looking the other when those companies violate U.S. trade law.
Combating climate change, Kildee said, shouldn’t come at the cost of allowing companies to break trade rules.
"Of course, it’s going to be cheaper," Kildee said during a speech on the House floor. "To look the other way when workers are being exploited. When intellectual property is being stolen. When child labor is being utilized. It’ll always be cheaper. But it’s wrong."
Kildee says these practices hurt American manufactures in the long run and leads to a continued dependence on foreign manufacturing.
The House needed a two-thirds majority to override Biden’s veto. The bill was only the third piece of legislation President Biden has vetoed since taking office.
