The U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 14 voted 222-190 to approve legislation co-led by U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) that would modify the waiver process under the Clean Air Act regarding state emission control standards for new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines.
“This is a win for consumer choice,” said Rep. Latta.
The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, H.R. 1435, which Rep. Latta on March 8 signed on to as the lead original cosponsor, now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The bill is sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) and currently has 83 other Republican cosponsors.
If enacted, H.R. 1435 would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing Clean Air Act (CAA) waivers for state policies that seek to ban or otherwise limit the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Latta’s staff.
“Americans should be able to make choices – and vehicle purchases – that work best for themselves and their families,” Rep. Latta said. “The state of California, however, has made it their mission to outright ban vehicles with internal combustion engines and force people to purchase more expensive electric vehicles.”
The congressman added that the House’s bipartisan vote to pass H.R. 1435 gets Republicans “one step closer to preventing the EPA from granting California’s waiver request that would set a national standard of banning gas and diesel cars.”
Under current law, states are preempted from adopting or enforcing emission control standards for new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines unless the EPA provides a waiver authorizing a state to adopt such standards if certain requirements are met.
H.R. 1435 would provide that state standards that directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines are not eligible for waivers, according to the congressional record bill summary.
The bill also would prohibit the EPA from determining that any state standards amended after the bill’s enactment are within the scope of an existing waiver, and would require the EPA to revoke waivers granted between Jan. 1, 2022, and the date of enactment of this bill if the standards directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines, the summary says.
H.R. 1435 is the companion bill to the same-named S. 2090, which U.S. Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced on June 21 in the Senate.