Krishnamoorthi Demands Answers From Department of Transportation on Rescission of More Than $100 Million in EV Charging Funds for Illinois

WASHINGTON - Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Duffy expressing strong opposition to the Department's decision to rescind more than $100 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) federal grants previously awarded to Illinois for electric vehicle charging infrastructure projects across the state and requesting immediate answers from the Department.

"I write to express my strong opposition to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) recent decision to rescind over $100 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) federal grants previously awarded to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in our state," Krishnamoorthi wrote. "The arbitrary clawback of these funds creates uncertainty and chaos for public-private partnerships that are already in motion."

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi warned that abruptly rescinding funding could disrupt projects already underway, weaken federal-state partnerships, and leave rural and underserved communities without the infrastructure needed to support economic growth and expand clean transportation access.

"States depend on consistent application of federal law to effectively implement congressionally authorized projects," Krishnamoorthi wrote. "Abruptly rescinding these funds unnecessarily disrupts project timelines, jeopardizes existing investments, and weakens federal-state partnerships."

Krishnamoorthi also raised concerns that withholding congressionally authorized funding could undermine confidence in federal programs and politicize infrastructure investments.

"The ongoing pattern of rescinding or withholding congressionally authorized funding from Democratic-led states raises serious concerns that the administration is politicizing federal appropriations for partisan purposes rather than objective programmatic criteria," Krishnamoorthi continued.

In the letter, Krishnamoorthi requested a response from the Department of Transportation by March 20, 2026, and posed the following requests:

1. Recommit to distributing funds appropriated by Congress for EV charging infrastructure in Illinois and other states without further delay or rescission;

2. Provide clear guidance to states on how planning and grant implementation should proceed under current federal policy;

3. Ensure that states are not penalized for actions taken in good faith based on previously approved plans and appropriations; and

4. Work with Congress to align federal policy with bipartisan infrastructure goals, including supporting domestic manufacturing of EV charging equipment and workforce development.

The full letter is available here.