Vice President Harris announced her economic policy this week, supporting increasing domestic mineral production and creating mineral reserves.
According to a press release from her campaign, the campaign plans to use wartime powers under the Defense Production Act to build stronger mineral supply chains and reduce reliance on China.
in The plans are posted on her websiteHarris also supported the “America Forward” tax credit, which would benefit a range of industries, including many with climate change potential.
The tax credits will be used for projects such as reducing emissions from steel production, developing new sustainable materials, expanding climate-friendly energy manufacturing and strengthening the semiconductor industry.
Under the plan, these tax credits would also benefit biotechnology and healthcare, artificial intelligence, data centers for aerospace, and autos and other transportation.
These tax credits include “additional benefits” for long-standing investments in manufacturing, agricultural and energy-producing communities, raising concerns about workers in historically fossil fuel-producing areas in the transition to lower carbon fuels.
Harris also said the state needs to speed up approvals for infrastructure projects and supported a set of policies called “permitting reform” aimed at speeding up construction in the state.
Permitting reform is a hot topic in Washington, where lawmakers are currently considering legislation aimed at speeding up new energy projects. Opponents of such efforts have expressed concern that the process could weaken environmental review.
The plan released by Harris' campaign also includes a section on lowering energy costs, calling for increased energy production, though it did not specify whether that would include expanding fossil fuel production, though Harris has previously touted record oil production achieved under Biden.
The announcement of the plan comes nearly two months after Harris entered the race after President Biden announced he would not seek reelection.
Critics have meanwhile been calling for more detailed policy proposals from the vice president, and the plan offers far more detail than she previously released.
Some of Harris' policy proposals require congressional support, raising the possibility that Democrats will lose in the Senate — particularly tax credits that cannot be issued unilaterally by a presidential administration.
