House Republicans are expected to take a stand this week against electric car mandates, as the House of Representatives is set to hold a floor vote on a stand-alone bill that would effectively prohibit California and other Democrat-led states from implementing their planned EV mandates.
Introduced by Rep. John Joyce, R-Pa., in March, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act seeks to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from granting states like California waivers that allow them to ban or limit internal combustion engine vehicles.
Currently, the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the power to issue waivers to states that want to impose stricter emissions standards. In March 2022, the EPA granted California the authority to implement its own standards which includes a 2035 mandate banning gas-powered cars and mandating electric cars. Similarly, the decision enabled seventeen states to adopt California’s regulations, representing more than forty percent of total U.S. car purchases.
In response to the EPA’s ruling, Joyce introduced legislation to block attempts to ban gas-powered vehicles. He noted that “coupling the mountains with the harsh winters and the intense heat of summers, makes driving an electric vehicle both unreliable and ultimately unrealistic for many of my constituents.”
In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Joyce’s bill out of committee in late July, teeing up the impending floor vote expected to take place this week. A companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and is still making its way through the chamber.
The legislation has been supported by energy industry groups, who argue that EV mandates would harm American consumers. Chet Thompson, President and CEO of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, endorsed Joyce’s bill citing the importance of giving consumers the choice of what to buy.
“Restricting consumer choice by eliminating competition and banning entire vehicle power trains is the wrong path to achieving cleaner transportation or supporting U.S. energy security,” he said. “Liquid fuels are an irreplaceable part of meeting future energy demand and will play an important role in reducing the carbon intensity of transportation.”
The outcome of the floor vote on Thursday will help determine what measures the federal government, and consumers, take when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases from vehicles. Whether the House passes the bill or not will go a long way in deciding the fate of electric vehicle mandates in the United States.