Governor Lombardo’s Shift: From Criticizing to Embracing Federal Initiatives
Governor Joe Lombardo of Nevada, who once opposed federal projects as reckless, is now taking credit for achievements made possible by those very initiatives. His actions have sparked discussions about political alignment and credit-taking in government.
In recent developments, Lombardo has been praising projects in Northern Nevada, such as the expansion of I-80 and the state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment initiative. These projects were significantly funded by the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, despite Lombardo’s previous criticisms. In past statements, Lombardo described the law as “reckless” on social media and elsewhere.
Additionally, Lombardo has highlighted projects by Redwood Materials in the Reno area. However, these were supported by clean energy tax credits from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which were phased out by Trump’s budget bill, an action Lombardo celebrated.
Nevada Current: Lombardo praises projects made possible by Biden’s ‘disastrous policies’
- Lombardo has been commending developments like the high-speed internet initiative and the expansion of a key interstate, both supported by Biden’s spending measures.
- During his reelection campaign in Sparks, Lombardo touted the I-80 expansion as his administration’s success, though it relied on $275 million from Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
- Despite calling Biden’s spending “reckless” and advocating for leadership to protect against such policies, Lombardo has continued to embrace these federal-backed projects.
- The IIJA and Biden’s American Rescue Plan provided substantial financial aid to Nevada, including $2.7 billion in federal funds and $890 million for local governments.
- Lombardo had previously urged the end of “excessive federal spending” while praising Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which aimed to reverse several Biden-era initiatives.
- Lombardo’s office has not clarified how his stance on Biden’s policies has changed, yet he continues to highlight Nevada projects enabled by these initiatives.
- In January, Lombardo announced federal approval for Nevada’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment initiative.
- “A commitment was made to connect every Nevadan to reliable, high-speed internet, and it remains one of my top priorities,” Lombardo stated, emphasizing the importance of broadband expansion. This initiative was fueled by $170 million from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional funds from the $2.7 billion American Rescue Plan Act.
- Trump’s budget bill, praised by Lombardo, removed tax credits for electric vehicle sales which were vital for projects like Redwood’s battery stockpile.
- Despite his public denouncement of Biden’s spending, Lombardo has actively leveraged these initiatives both openly and behind the scenes.
- Inquiries about whether Trump reinstated subsidies for stalled projects have gone unanswered by Lombardo’s spokesperson.
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