President Joe Biden has no plans to seek legislative changes in a climate bill that has angered European allies, the White House said, even as Washington seeks to tamp down a brewing trade dispute over the policies.
Biden had acknowledged “glitches” in the legislation during a press conference with President Emmanuel Macron of France on Thursday and said there were “tweaks we can make” to ease concerns in Europe where the Inflation Reduction Act’s industrial subsidies have put the U.S. at odds with partners on the continent.
BIDEN SUGGESTS ‘TWEAKS’ TO FIX ‘GLITCHES’ IN CLIMATE LAW THAT ANGERED FRANCE
But on Friday, Biden’s press secretary told reporters aboard Air Force One that the administration would not be returning to Congress to amend the bill.
“We’re not going to be addressing any glitches,” Karine Jean-Pierre said, citing “a complex implementation process which is actively underway” across the federal government.
Still, Jean-Pierre suggested there were other avenues for easing tensions with Europe, with “substantive consultations” ongoing between the U.S. and its counterparts.
“We won’t get ahead of that process,” she added.
The legislation includes billions of dollars to subsidize electric vehicles and other clean energy initiatives while boosting manufacturing at home. The European Commission has argued that credits and subsidies in the bill are potentially in breach of world trade rules.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
On Thursday, Biden said he did not intend to exclude trading partners aligned with his climate goals, but conceded “there are occasions when you write a massive piece of legislation [and] there’s obviously going to be glitches in it and [a] need to reconcile changes in it.”
Macron said he and Biden had discussed the issue “a good deal” during meetings at the White House ahead of a state dinner, as well as with members of Congress.
