Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg mocked Republicans who are concerned about men playing in women’s sports, arguing that their focus on the issue is “getting in the way” of repairing bridges and increasing transportation safety.

Buttigieg was interviewed by The Daily Show’s Desi Lydic, who asked, “Why do you think some Republicans are stalling on this? Is it because they’re too busy focused on starting culture wars?

“Well, I do think that the culture wars are getting in the way sometimes,” Buttigieg answered. “I mean, just the other day I was testifying in the appropriations subcommittee explaining how our budget was going to help with things like railroad safety, air traffic control, and other transportation needs, and we had to take a break so they could all go and vote on a bill to kick transgender teenagers off of sports teams.”

“That was the priority for the House GOP that day,” Buttigieg declared. “So these things really are getting in the way of our ability to get work done. We’re literally building bridges, and they are literally banning books.”

Secy. @PeteButtigieg tells the Daily Show: House Republicans' bill restricting transgender participation in women's sports is "really getting in the way of our ability to" repair bridges & railroads.

"We are literally building bridges, and they are literally banning books.” pic.twitter.com/oAOOaBvJXg

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 26, 2023

Buttigieg’s performance as transportation secretary has elicited harsh criticism from members of Congress.

“What in the hell does Pete Buttigieg have to do to get fired?” Senator Ted Cruz said in the wake of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. “Like in the history of this country, has there ever been a transportation secretary who has screwed more things up? From in his first year in office, a supply chain crisis that impacted the entire country that made it hard to get basics and essentials?”

“The recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio is nothing short of a tragedy,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) commented. “This is another transportation failure under Mayor Pete’s leadership. Where is he?”

During the supply chain crisis, Buttigieg took months of paid leave. He later vacationed in Portugal as a nationwide rail strike was imminent, and has also been criticized by Democratic officials for his alleged failure to prevent mass delays and cancellations at Southwest Airlines over the holidays.

Additionally, Buttigieg, an ardent proponent of reducing carbon emissions, had taken taxpayer-funded private jets rather than commercial planes at least 18 times since he was inaugurated into office, Fox News reported in December 2022.

Modifications made to the electric vehicle tax credit by 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act have left only ten EVs that qualify for that law’s full $7,500 tax break.

The Biden administration has made the promotion of electric vehicles a major pillar of its efforts to decarbonize the American economy. Earlier this month, the EPA announced new emissions restrictions with the explicit goal of driving EV production and sales — the administration is reportedly aiming to make two-thirds of all new car sales in the U.S. electric as early as 2032. The Inflation Reduction Act also contained billions of dollars in subsidies for the production of new EVs, in addition to revamping and extending the existing EV tax credit.

However, the majority of electric vehicles remain far more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts: according to Kelley Blue Book, the average new gas-powered car sold in the U.S. cost roughly $50,000, while the average cost of a new EV was over $61,000. The EV tax credit only applies to vehicles below a set price point: electric vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks must have a manufacturer-suggested retail price below $80,000, while sedans and passenger cars are capped at an MSRP of $55,000.

More than 20 car models met those criteria, but another limit on the tax credit stipulates that the automaker must source some of the car’s battery components and raw materials from the U.S. China, arguably America’s greatest geopolitical adversary, currently manufactures about 80% of the world’s lithium-ion batteries. That additional rule cut the list down to ten: The Chrysler Pacifica, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet’s Bolt, Blazer, Silverado, and Equinox, the Cadillac Lyriq, the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring, and the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Car models that met the first rule but not the second were eligible for half of the EV tax credit, $3,750. Certain used EVs can also qualify for a non-refundable tax credit of up to $4,000.

High prices and a supply chain that is highly dependent on a hostile power are both significant obstacles toward widespread adoption of EVs, and despite aggressive pushes by the federal government and several states, fewer than 20% of consumers say they’re very likely to buy an EV the next time they purchase a car.

The environmental impact of electric vehicles is also a disputed issue. Some studies suggest that purchasing a used car may emit less carbon compared to manufacturing a new electric vehicle, while other studies suggest that the reduction in tailpipe emissions may offset the emissions required to make an EV within a few years — numerous variables, including the efficiency of different gas powered vehicles and the methods used to generate the electricity that powers the EV, come into play.

Furthermore, despite the numerous government subsidies and EVs’ higher prices, most automakers are losing money on their EV divisions and are only turning a profit because of the sales of their gas-powered vehicles — Ford expects to lose $3 billion on EVs in 2023, although it expects to turn a pre-tax profit of between $9-11 billion overall. EV’s currently account for about 6% of all auto sales in the United States.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

“We believe no U.S. automaker is making EVs profitably aside from Tesla,” CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson wrote, noting that “EVs are likely to be a material drag on near- and intermediate-term earnings.”

Tesla recently made headlines for dropping the starting price for its best-seller, the Model Y, below the average price of a new car.