House Republicans forged a path for legislation to block California’s ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars and smaller trucks as the state leads the nation’s electric vehicle push.
Four GOP members, led by Rep. John Joyce (R-PA), introduced a bill earlier this year aimed at blocking vehicle purchase requirements. The legislation passed through the Energy and Commerce Committee in a vote of 26-22 on Thursday and will be considered by the entire House next.
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“California regulators shouldn’t have the power to determine what vehicles are sold to families in Pennsylvania,” Joyce said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “One state should not be able to set national policy, and Americans should not be forced into making purchases they are unable to afford.”
The Preserving Choice for Vehicle Purchases Act would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing bans on new vehicles with internal combustion engines.
In April, the EPA released new tailpipe emission standards, setting an emission limit on the number of new cars each automaker sells annually. While the new standard is less stringent than California’s plans, some manufacturers have pushed back on the regulations, urging the Biden administration to reverse the change.
“The federal government should not be picking winners and losers that determine which kind of cars Americans drive – whether that’s a gas and diesel car or an electric vehicle,” Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), a bill sponsor and senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a statement obtained by the Washington Examiner. “Yet, if the EPA grants California’s waiver request to ban internal combustion engine vehicles, Americans across the country will lose the ability to choose the vehicle that works best for them and their families.”
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California’s mandate requires all new cars sold to have zero emissions by 2035. Over a dozen states have followed suit since the new regulations were introduced last year, and Connecticut most recently joined in the transition to electric vehicles.
“Given that forty percent of the national market would be directly impacted by this proposal, we need to preserve the freedom all Americans have to choose which vehicle makes the most sense for their particular circumstances and budgets,” bill sponsor Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) said about the California Air Resources Board proposal. “The Californian elite should not be able to set a precedent that could have negative impacts on all Americans.”
