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 Financial Services Committee had more pointed questions for Facebook's David Marcus about the governing structure of the Libra Association in the second day of Congressional grilling.
Ebony Underwood was just 13 years old when her father William was arrested in 1988. Today, more than 30 years later, Underwood has joined a broad coalition of activists and lawmakers working for criminal justice reform. Through her advocacy group, We Got Us Now, she is fighting to make sure that children of incarcerated adults are not overlooked on the path to rectification.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, July 17, 2019.
The banking system relies on public trust; unfortunately for Facebook's cryptocurrency ambitions, the social media Goliath doesn't have an abundance of it.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) adds her own critiques of Facebook's proposed digital currency Libra, and states that it's the responsibility of Congress to potentially break apart tech firms that appear to acquire too much power.
The Republican National Committee and key party leaders have pushed back against condemnation of President Trump's racist tweet he directed at four Democratic Congresswomen of color.
Amid an investigation by Health Canada, CannTrust has halted sales of its cannabis and products. Although CannTrust's regulatory snag does not directly impact U.S. cannabis supply, Cowen analyst Jaret Seiberg said that any turbulence in Canada's nascent industry could be cause for concern for its neighbor to the south.
President Donald Trump said the government will investigate Google following an accusation by tech billionaire Peter Thiel that the company is working with China and committing treason.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, July 16, 2019.
More Americans are going to college than at any time in history. And more are graduating with a student debt burden that will follow them for years. Cheddar asked every 2020 Democratic candidate how they will handle student debt. Here's what they said.
