Congress Passes Bill to Preserve Personal Choice in Automobiles
December 7, 2023 | Washington, D.C.
by Tabitha Walter, Eagle Forum Executive Director
If you like your car, you will be pleased to know that House Republicans passed another measure to stop the Biden administration’s aggressive agenda against gasoline-powered cars. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used a dangerous weapon to hurt American families, but fortunately, Congress is taking our side.
Earlier this year, the EPA introduced what many are calling the “toughest-ever” limits on car emissions. Their proposed rule would prohibit vehicles with emissions of over 82 grams of CO2 per mile – almost halving the previous restrictions. This push coincided with the federal government granting California a waiver to implement a full ban of internal combustion engine vehicles. This has had a negative impact not only on California residents but those in neighboring states as well who claim they have seen a reduction in sales of fossil fuels. For that reason, fourteen attorneys general are suing the EPA.
American automobile manufacturers will suffer as well. To ensure all requirements are met, they will need to replace 67% of their fleet with electric vehicles by 2032. Instead of producing cars based on consumer choice, they would instead be at the beck-and-call of the federal government. Because electric vehicles average $17,000 higher than gasoline-powered cars, the federal government will have to rely on China’s automobile manufacturers for more affordable options or to continue to subsidize upper-income buyers. Currently, the United States produces 51 types of EVs which pales in comparison to China’s 235 types. The Biden administration is allowing China to grow its dominance on EVs while putting our sovereignty and economy at risk.
In June, both the Senate and the House passed a resolution of disapproval of the EPA’s new standards – a rare consensus of Republicans and Democrats. Once it reached President Biden’s desk, he vetoed it. Then, in September, the House passed the Preserving Choice in Vehicles Act (H.R. 1435). This bill repealed the standards altogether. However, Biden’s veto made a strong statement to Democrats, and they were no longer in favor of moving legislation that would be dead on arrival. The Senate decided not to take it up.
Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) isn’t giving up though. His bill, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales “CARS” Act (H.R. 4468), made it to a floor vote this week. The language of the CARS Act is simple:
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may not finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule titled “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles” published by the Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register on May 5, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 29184).
In other words, the new standards would be prohibited from being put into practice. All Republicans voted in favor and were joined by five Democrats. The bill passed the House with a vote of 221-197.
Allowing the EPA to have control over what cars are made and/or sold in America violates free market principles, strips states of their rights, and ultimately burdens families with less choice and higher prices. Eagle Forum applauds House Republicans for continuing to fight for our freedom to decide what is best!