An electric truck picks up shipping containers at the Hight Logistics facility in Port of Long Beach, Calif. (Alex Welsh/Bloomberg News)
Congressional Republicans have ramped up their opposition to Biden-era guidance designed to promote electric vehicles.
After the introduction of comprehensive legislation meant to discourage marketplace disruptions to the sale of vehicles powered by fossil fuels, lawmakers have sought procedural efforts to reach their policy objectives.
This month, Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.) proposed a procedural measure calling on colleagues to approve a reversal of Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency waivers that allow California agencies to set certain emission standards for vehicles. A companion procedural resolution, known formally as a Congressional Review Act, was introduced in the Senate. Additionally, similar Republican-led resolutions take aim at nitrogen oxide engine emission standards and California directives for arriving at zero-emission trucks.
“Since arriving in Washington, I have fought to protect consumer freedom and allow American families to choose the vehicle that best fits their budget and needs,” Joyce said April 3. “The introduction of this resolution to overturn California’s ban on gas-powered vehicles is long overdue.”
Capito
“California’s extreme [electric vehicle] mandate imposes unrealistic and stringent requirements, fails to meet the Clean Air Act’s requirements for a waiver, forces the hand of American consumers and makes our country more reliant on China for critical minerals,” added Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “The American people have made it clear that they want consumer choice — not an EV mandate. I will continue to address all options available to strike down these rules and eliminate the consequential impact they would make across our country.”
Rep. John James (R-Mich.), a lead sponsor of the procedural resolution specific to trucks, pressed colleagues to support this latest procedural effort to reverse certain regulations associated with gasoline-powered cars.
“Michigan is not afraid of the future, but we demand to be a part of it. The Biden administration left behind comply-or-die ‘Green New Deal’ mandates that threaten to crush our trucking industry and drive up costs for hardworking Americans,” James said, noting progressive Democrats’ “Green New Deal” environmental policy blueprint. “I know — my family has a trucking company. Republicans are working hard to implement President [Donald] Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda, and the first step is repealing the rules and waivers that fueled ‘Bideninflation.’ ”
For emphasis, background information James provided explained the resolution would “halt an overreaching and impractical mandate that threatens American consumers, small businesses and the nation’s supply chain.” A vote on the resolutions has yet to be scheduled.
Freight industry stakeholders, including American Trucking Associations, applauded the lawmakers for sponsoring these resolutions.
Spear
“The trucking industry commends our congressional champions for introducing these resolutions, which would take the regulatory keys away from unelected [California Air Resources Board] bureaucrats whose mad dash to zero poses a grave threat to the supply chain and our economy,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “The patchwork of unachievable EV mandates enabled by EPA’s waivers to California threatened to significantly raise costs for American consumers without delivering the promised environmental benefits.
“Thanks to the leadership of these lawmakers, Congress can restore EPA’s authority to set common-sense, achievable national standards that promote innovation and put us back on the path to lowering emissions while accounting for the operational realities of our essential industry.”
Mullin
Earlier this year, senior Republican policymakers introduced legislation that would restrict the federal government from permitting states to limit sales of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Led by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, would limit EPA’s issuance of Clean Air Act waivers relating to the sale or use of new motor vehicles equipped with internal combustion engine power.
Today, @epaleezeldin announced EPA is rescinding Guidance on the Preparation of Clean Air Act Section (CAA) 179B which penalized states for air pollution beyond their control. Read more: https://t.co/erC79fnLsC pic.twitter.com/h3aB3fjf47
— U.S. EPA (@EPA) April 7, 2025
“For four years, Washington Democrats worked to overregulate every aspect of Americans’ lives — including what car they drive. Now that President Trump is back in office, it’s critical we protect Americans’ freedom to choose what vehicle is best for themselves and their families, and allow consumer choice to dictate the market,” Mullin said during the bill’s introduction. “Capitalism has already proven that internal combustion engine vehicles represent the overwhelming majority of vehicle purchases in America.”
Senior Democrats have raised concerns about the Republicans’ efforts to examine or reverse federal rules linked to California.
Whitehouse
“From slashing investments that lower household energy costs to rolling back protections for clean air and clean water, Trump and his polluter minions at EPA have endangered our nation’s public health, economy and climate safety. … Americans will pay — with their health and with their wallets — for the Trump-[Elon] Musk weaponization of the EPA in service to big polluters,” EPW committee ranking member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said April 4. “Congress put California’s ability to set vehicle emissions standards in the Clean Air Act, which has already protected generations of Americans from fossil fuel emissions.”
The Trump administration indicated it is proceeding with a comprehensive review of Biden-era emissions guidance governing commercial vehicles. EPA last month announced it is reopening its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles rules and its Heavy-Duty Nitrogen Oxide rule.
