group of 25 Senate Republicans, along with Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, is introducing a bill to prevent the Biden administration from implementing regulations aimed at reducing emissions from gasoline-powered car tailpipes.
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo from Idaho and Senator Pete Ricketts from Nebraska are leading this effort. They plan to introduce the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, which, if approved, would nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently proposed regulations to significantly tighten restrictions on vehicle tailpipe emissions.
“Once again, the Biden administration’s rule-making process is being used to push a radical green agenda and pick winners and losers,” Crapo said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Americans deserve to have access to affordable, reliable vehicles fueled by American-made energy products.
“However, the Biden EPA’s rule change would hurt everyday Americans while simultaneously helping China. Consequences of rules and regulations such as these restrict consumer choice and raise costs for the average American family.”
In April, the EPA put forth its most ambitious federal tailpipe emissions regulations to date. If these regulations are finalized and put into practice, the White House estimates that a substantial percentage of various vehicle types, including sedans, SUVs, trucks, buses, and more, could transition to electric power, with projections reaching as high as 67% by 2032.
Critics argue that the EPA’s proposal might effectively serve as a covert mandate for electric vehicles (EVs), essentially compelling future investments in zero-emission vehicles.
Apart from preventing the proposed tailpipe emissions regulations, the CARS Act would prohibit mandates for specific technologies or restrictions on the availability of vehicles based on their engine type. Furthermore, the legislation would require the EPA to revise any regulations that restrict new vehicle options based on engine type within a two-year timeframe.
“We cannot allow the EPA to continue to impose oppressive and careless regulations that increase our dependence on foreign adversaries like China and make everyday necessities more expensive for Americans and their families,” added Manchin, who chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “I waited in line for gas in the ’70s because America was too reliant on foreign oil, and I refuse to risk one day waiting in line for a Chinese battery.
“This bipartisan legislation would rescind this federal overreach and protect access to traditional, affordable vehicles,” the West Virginia Democrat added. “As chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I will continue to lead the fight against EPA’s radical climate agenda to protect our energy, national and economic security.”
In addition to Senators Crapo, Ricketts, and Manchin, 23 Senate Republicans have joined this initiative as co-sponsors.
Among these co-sponsors are Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming, who serves as Ranking Member on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia, who is Ranking Member on the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina, who holds the position of Ranking Member on the Banking Committee, and Senator Jim Risch from Idaho, who is Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Committee.
The CARS Act has garnered extensive support from industry organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as conservative groups including Heritage Action and the National Taxpayers Union.
“We welcome Sen. Crapo’s and Sen. Ricketts’ efforts to safeguard Americans’ freedoms and prevent the EPA from imposing a de facto ban on the sale of new vehicles that use gasoline and other liquid fuels,” said Amanda Eversole, the American Petroleum Institute’s executive vice president and chief advocacy officer.
“The Senate should work expeditiously to pass The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act to ensure the EPA’s intrusive government policy doesn’t limit American families’ access to affordable and reliable vehicle options.”
