Minden (La.) Press-Herald
Kennedy, Crapo, Ricketts introduce bill to prevent Biden ban on gas-powered vehicles
By Minden Press-Herald
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in introducing the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, which would prevent the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from limiting the sale of gas-powered vehicles.
“The Biden administration’s woke proposal to block the sale of gas-powered cars benefits Chinese manufacturing and hurts America’s industry. I’m proud to support the CARS Act to stop the EPA’s radical rule, which would make the American dream more expensive for millions of hardworking people in our country,” said Kennedy.
“Once again, the Biden Administration’s rule-making process is being used to push a radical green agenda and pick winners and losers. 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,” said Crapo.
“The EPA cannot continue to pick winners and losers. This legislation ensures the Biden administration can’t prioritize their radical left agenda over affordable and reliable internal combustion engines. I’ll always fight to protect Nebraskans’ ability to choose what is best for them and their families,” said Ricketts.
Background:
- In Aug. 2022, the California Air Resources Board approved a measure requiring all new cars and light trucks to generate zero tailpipe emissions by 2035.
- To enforce this measure, the state of California is required to secure a waiver from the EPA.
- In April 2023, the EPA proposed new emission standards for cars and light trucks under the Clean Air Act, a potential first step toward the regulation of the internal combustion engine.
The CARS Act would prevent the EPA from implementing its proposed rule and would ban the agency from abusing the Clean Air Act to advance this agenda. The legislation would also require the agency to update any regulations since Jan. 1, 2021 that result in the limited availability of new vehicles based on that vehicle’s engine within two years.
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.
Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Joe Manchin (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also cosponsored the legislation.