Eight Democrats joined House Republicans in passing a bill that takes aim at California’s push to phase out gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
The move comes after the EPA reinstated a waiver giving California the right to set air quality standards distinct from the federal government’s, paving the way for other states to adopt the same regulations. The rule, issued by the California Air Resources Board, will mandate that all new cars sold in California by 2035 to be zero-emissions vehicles.
The “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act,” which passed by a vote of 222-190, seeks to amend the Clean Air Act so the sale of internal combustion engines cannot be eliminated.
H.R.1435 would amend federal law to block attempts to eliminate the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines. Further, this legislation would restrict the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing any waivers that would ban the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines. The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act was introduced in response to the California Air Resource Board’s decision to effectively ban the sale of new, internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, in an effort to force automakers to cease the development and production of new gas-powered motor vehicles. (Rep. Joyce)
“California regulators shouldn’t have the power to determine what vehicles are sold to families in Pennsylvania,” Rep. John Joyce, who introduced the bill, wrote in a statement this summer. “One state should not be able to set national policy and Americans should not be forced into making purchases they are unable to afford.”
GOP Rep. Bob Latta of Ohio agreed, noting the core issue is "preserving the rights of the American consumer and allowing free markets to flourish."
“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," Latta said in a statement. "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."
BREAKING: The House has passed my legislation to stop California's ban on gas-powered cars. Today's vote is a victory for American consumers and personal freedom. pic.twitter.com/vai4van8Mc
— John Joyce, M.D. (@RepJohnJoyce) September 14, 2023
Eight Democrats joined their Republican colleagues in voting for the legislation: Reps. Yadira Caraveo and Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, Jim Costa of California, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Donald Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Brian Higgins of New York, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.
The measure is largely symbolic, as it’s unlikely to advance in the Democrat-controlled Senate. The White House also released a statement “strongly” opposing its passage.
“The [Biden] administration strongly opposes passage of HR 1435,” the U.S. Office of Management and Budget said Tuesday in a statement. “Congress protected [California’s] authority to address its unique and ongoing air quality challenges and to give other states the option to adopt the innovative clean car and truck technologies California pioneered.”