Senator Eric Schmidt (R-MO) has sent President Joe Biden’s energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm, a $200 million stake in a lithium battery company whose division operates “primarily” in China. criticized harshly for allowing grants to be awarded.
Schmidt told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday that her division operates “primarily” in China after claiming the Biden administration wants “energy abundant” and made in the United States. He pressured Granholm to allow battery companies to be subsidized substantially.
“I would like to ask about Microvast, a lithium battery company operating primarily in the People’s Republic of China. Your agency has awarded this company a grant worth $200 million. You know this, don’t you?” Schmidt asked his secretary.
Schmidt also referenced a letter sent by the senator to the secretary about “security protocols” in the vetting process before handing over the taxpayer-funded cash. It refers to a letter to Granholm in May, which also asked why Microbust was given a federal grant aimed at making the United States less dependent on China. rice field.
Granholm responded by claiming that there is a vetting process for all companies before handing over the taxpayer-funded cash to “make sure the money is not flowing to countries of concern.” She later added: [the administration] We don’t want to see dollars go to countries of concern that we want. ”
Schmidt went on to ask if it was Granholm’s “promise not to give dollars to energy companies, companies taking advantage of either tax credits or subsidies owned by China.” [or] It’s by a Chinese company. ’” she said. [infrastructure bill]”
Next, the rookie senator wants to clarify whether her commitments include companies with significant operations in China, acknowledging the problems the U.S. has with China stealing intellectual property. I thought.
“I believe this CFIUS review program is used to help us identify exactly where certain technologies and countries are controlled. We want to make sure…we are the beneficiaries of those acts and is not the beneficiary of any other act,” she insisted.
Senators were referring to the Department of Energy using the so-called “bipartisan” infrastructure law. give Microvast — explained itself in 2021 a year The SEC reports it as a “holding company” that operates “primarily through its subsidiaries in China.” He’s offering a $200 million grant to help the county transition to green energy.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News.write him a letter at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on twitter @JacobMBliss.
