Rep. Brad Knott voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which repealed clean energy tax credits that supported 113,000 North Carolina clean energy jobs — a sector growing six times faster than the rest of the state's economy — and is projected to eliminate over 41,000 North Carolina jobs by 2030. Knott's vote came as companies had already canceled $1.4 billion in planned clean energy factories in North Carolina in 2025 alone, including a $1.4 billion battery plant near Rocky Mount that would have created 1,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, Knott said "the federal government employs too many people" while DOGE cuts devastated the Research Triangle economy in his backyard — RTI International, dubbed "ground zero" for DOGE cuts, slashed more than a third of its workforce including over 400 North Carolina jobs, and the EPA's Research Triangle Park campus, the agency's largest facility, faced plans to eliminate up to 75% of its research workforce.
Knott voted to protect Trump's 25% tariffs on Canada even as a John Locke Foundation report warned tariffs could wipe out $695 million in North Carolina farm income and 8,000 agricultural jobs, and a Johnston County soybean farmer in his district said he was nervous about "making enough to pay the bills." When the News & Observer asked North Carolina's delegation about tariffs, Knott was silent.
Knott Voted For The OBBBA, Which Is Projected To Eliminate Over 41,000 North Carolina Jobs By 2030. According to an Energy Innovation analysis, the OBBBA's energy provisions would cut over 41,000 jobs from North Carolina's workforce in 2030 and another 32,000 by 2035, while driving up average household energy costs by $220 in 2030 and nearly $490 in 2035. North Carolina was among the five states hardest hit by the bill's energy provisions. [Energy Innovation, 7/1/25]
North Carolina's Clean Energy Workforce Added 3,254 Jobs In 2024, Growing Six Times Faster Than The Rest Of The State Economy. According to E2, "Clean energy continued to be a workhorse for workforce growth in North Carolina in 2024, far outpacing the state's economy as a whole." The state had more than 113,000 clean energy workers, with Wake County alone supporting 17,697 clean energy jobs. [E2, Viewed 2/16/26]
Companies Canceled $1.4 Billion In Planned Clean Energy Factories In North Carolina In 2025. According to NC Voices, companies canceled $1.4 billion in planned clean energy related factories and other projects in North Carolina since January 2025 that were expected to create over 1,000 new jobs, amid rising fears over the future of federal clean energy tax credits. [NC Voices, Viewed 2/16/26]
A $1.4 Billion Battery Factory Near Rocky Mount Was Canceled, Killing 1,000 Planned Jobs. According to WRAL, Natron Energy closed its doors and canceled plans for a $1.4 billion sodium-ion battery factory at the Kingsboro megasite in Edgecombe County that would have created over 1,000 jobs. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley called the loss "disappointing," noting, "'It stood to create 1,000 good paying jobs in a growing industry.'" [WRAL, 9/4/25]
The OBBBA Repealed Clean Energy Tax Credits Used By Nearly 89,000 North Carolina Households. According to BPR, the OBBBA terminated the residential clean energy credit and the energy efficiency credit after December 31, 2025. In 2023, 62,490 North Carolina households used the energy efficiency credit and 26,470 used the clean energy credit, which covered up to 30% of installation costs for solar panels, heat pumps, and other upgrades. Dave Hollister, CEO of Sundance Power Systems, said, "'Tax credits were part of the business model here in North Carolina. And you know it's been an important part of giving folks the ability to choose renewable energy.'" [BPR, 7/25/25]
Knott Said "The Federal Government Employs Too Many People" As DOGE Cuts Slashed Thousands Of Research Triangle Jobs. According to VoteSmart, Knott stated that "the federal government employs too many people" and that some employees "add unnecessary costs to both the public and private sector." Meanwhile, more than 23,000 federal workers are employed across the Triangle-area congressional districts that include NC-13. [CBS 17, 1/2/25]
RTI International, Dubbed "Ground Zero" For DOGE Cuts, Slashed Over 400 North Carolina Jobs. According to Business North Carolina, RTI International was labeled "ground zero" for DOGE's impact on independent research nonprofits, having lost 170 federal grants and contracts totaling nearly $1.1 billion. The company cut more than a third of its global workforce, including 355 in North Carolina, driven by "an unprecedented number of federally-funded project cancellations and work stoppages." [Business North Carolina, Viewed 2/16/26]
The EPA's Research Triangle Park Campus — Its Largest Facility — Faced Plans To Cut Up To 75% Of Its Research Workforce. According to WRAL, the EPA's Research Triangle Park office has over 2,000 full-time federal employees and is the largest EPA facility in the country. Documents reviewed by Democratic staffers on the House Science Committee showed that up to 75% of the Office of Research and Development's workforce could be laid off. The campus houses labs focused on air pollution, PFAS contamination, and industrial emissions. [WRAL, Viewed 2/16/26]
FHI 360 Laid Off 144 North Carolina Workers After 81 Federally Funded Projects Were Terminated. According to WRAL, Durham-based global nonprofit FHI 360 laid off 483 U.S.-based staff members, including 144 in North Carolina, after the federal government terminated 81 of its projects between February and April 2025, leading to an estimated 42% reduction in operating revenue. [WRAL, Viewed 2/16/26]
Veterans Protested Knott For Ignoring Mass VA Firings And Refusing To Hold In-Person Town Halls. According to Cardinal & Pine, Army veteran Scott Peoples wrote that he attempted to contact Knott repeatedly about mass VA firings but received no response. Peoples wrote that Knott refused to host in-person town halls. Nationally, the VA shed nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025, including 2,000 fewer registered nurses and 750 fewer doctors. [Cardinal & Pine, 3/25/25]
Knott Voted Against A Resolution To End Trump's 25% Tariffs On Canada. According to CNBC, the House passed H.J.Res. 72 by a vote of 219-211 on February 11, 2026, to terminate the national emergency Trump declared to impose tariffs on Canadian goods. Six Republicans crossed party lines to vote with Democrats; Knott was not among them. [CNBC, 2/11/26]
A John Locke Foundation Report Found Tariffs Could Cost North Carolina Farmers $695 Million And 8,000 Jobs. According to NC Newsline, a January 2026 report warned that tariffs could wipe out nearly a third of North Carolina's net farm income, with total state economic losses reaching $1.9 billion. The pork industry faced $430 million in losses, cotton $125 million, soybeans $90 million, and sweet potatoes nearly $50 million. [NC Newsline, 1/16/26]
A Johnston County Farmer In Knott's District Said He Was Nervous About Making Enough To Pay The Bills. According to ABC11, Brandon Batten of Triple B Farms in Four Oaks, Johnston County, said, "'We're all a little nervous trying to say, are we going to make enough to pay the bills? Are we going to be able to go again next year? Are we going to be able to satisfy those operating notes?'" [ABC11, Viewed 2/16/26]
North Carolina Soybean Exports Collapsed From 72,000 Tons To 1,800 Tons In Two Weeks During A Trade Escalation. According to ABC11, North Carolina soybean exports plummeted from 72,000 tons on April 10, 2025, to just 1,800 tons on April 24, 2025, as China stopped buying. Brandon Batten said, "'China is a huge consumer of everything. Beans are big. Not buying any beans has a tremendous impact on U.S. agriculture.'" [ABC11, Viewed 2/16/26]
Knott Was Silent When The News And Observer Surveyed North Carolina's Delegation On Tariffs. According to Yahoo News, the News & Observer identified Knott as one of several North Carolina Republicans who "have been silent on the issue" of tariffs. [Yahoo News, Viewed 2/16/26]
Knott Accepted Over $192,000 From Agribusiness, Manufacturing, Energy, Real Estate, And Retail Industry PACs. According to FEC records, Knott's top affordability-related industry PAC contributions included $73,000 from manufacturing and trade-protected industries, $44,000 from agribusiness and food companies, $42,500 from retail and consumer goods companies, $19,500 from real estate and housing interests, and $13,500 from energy companies. [FEC, Viewed 2/16/26]
A North Carolina Economist Said Families Face A "New Economic Reality" Of Tariff-Driven Inflation. According to WRAL, Duke University's John Coleman said, "'If you had to make some cutbacks or some adjustments in terms of what you had to buy, what you wanted to buy, you're going to have to continue to do that for quite some time. It's unfortunate, but that's just the new economic reality that we're faced with.'" N.C. State professor emeritus Mike Walden added, "'Businesses have been trying to not do that [raise prices], but they have a breaking point. I think we're beginning to see that breaking point.'" [WRAL, Viewed 2/16/26]
The Yale Budget Lab Estimated Tariffs Cost The Median American Household $1,400 Per Year, With The Burden Falling Hardest On Low-Income Families. According to the Yale Budget Lab, the lowest-income households paid 2.4% of their income in tariff costs versus 0.8% for the top decile — making the burden on the poorest families more than three times greater as a share of income. [Yale Budget Lab, 11/17/25]
The Federal Reserve Bank Of New York Found American Consumers And Businesses Bore Nearly 90% Of Tariff Costs. According to Fortune, Federal Reserve Bank of New York economists found that "Americans paid for nearly 90% of the tariffs in 2025, including 94% of the levies from January to August of last year." The economists wrote, "'Our results show that the bulk of the tariff incidence continues to fall on U.S. firms and consumers.'" [Fortune, 2/13/26]