President Donald Trump’s attempt to create U.S. jobs by taxing solar panel imports could backfire.
That’s according to the CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association trade group, who says it’s domestic workers that will feel the pain.
“We have been the fastest growing form of new energy...and this is putting the brakes on that crazy growth,” Abigail Ross Hopper told Cheddar in an interview. “These are not people who are looking for what nationality the company they work for is. They just want to feed their families and pay their mortgages. And those are the people whose jobs are at risk.”
Earlier this week President Trump signed a law that would impose a 30 percent tariff on imported solar panel and sells, a move the administration says will encourage domestic manufacturing.
But the SEIA says the vast majority of the 260,000 Americans employed in the industry work in peripheral industries like installation. Ross Hopper says the bill will result in 23,000 layoffs this year and delay or cancel billions of dollars of investment in the sector.
She also says it might dissuade U.S. consumers from going green.
“Most [businesses and consumers] want to choose solar because it saves them money,” she said. “This decision changes that calculus.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/solar-power-in-america).
The House passed the chamber's rules package with all but one Republican vote while all GOP members voted for its first bill, which would strip funding from the IRS.
At the top of Kevin McCarthy’s to-do list as he begins his role as House Speaker is adopting a new rules package for the chamber when it convenes Monday evening.
Brazilian authorities were vowing to protect democracy and preparing to mete out punishment Monday after thousands of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace then trashed the nation’s highest seats of power.
Normally routine, drafting and approving rules to govern the House is the new speaker's next showdown.
The president did not appear to meet with anyone who was attempting to migrate to the U.S.
The action comes a week after the inauguration of his leftist rival, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif. 20th District) gained some momentum on Friday afternoon in his bid to become the House speaker, flipping more than a dozen votes in his favor.
The United Nations' global index for tracking food prices fell 1.9 percent in December after hitting an all-time high in 2022 amid drought, war, pandemic, and supply chain challenges.
The Jan. 6 anniversary comes as the House is paralyzed by a Republican fight over who'll be the speaker.
The Republican leader failed to change any votes despite making more concessions to far-right members.
