The Democratic government of California is preparing to initiate legal action against the federal government following the Senate’s decision to eliminate its electric vehicle mandate.
On Thursday, the Republican-controlled Senate voted to reverse several significant waivers from the Biden administration that permitted the state to establish its own emissions standards, as reported by CNN. This vote rescinded a last-minute authorization by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allowing California to phase out gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
“This Senate vote is unlawful. Republicans circumvented their own parliamentarian to violate decades of established precedent. We will not remain passive as Trump Republicans revert America to a state of increased pollution — reversing efforts that date back to the administrations of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan — all while surrendering our economic future to China. We are committed to contesting this unconstitutional assault on California in court,” stated California Governor Gavin Newsom in a press release.
“With these votes, Senate Republicans are once again yielding to President Trump,” stated California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The exploitation of the Congressional Review Act to undermine California’s waivers is merely another facet of the ongoing, partisan assault against California’s initiatives aimed at safeguarding the public and the environment from detrimental pollution. As we have previously articulated, this reckless application of the Congressional Review Act is illegal, and California will not remain passive. We must uphold robust emissions standards and maintain the waivers, and we are prepared to litigate to protect California’s waivers.”
“Should this strategy succeed, it will not be the final instance of this approach being employed,” remarked California Sen. Adam Schiff, as he accused Republicans of creating “a breach in the filibuster for the oil industry.”
Senate Minority Leader and New York Senator Charles Schumer expressed his outrage towards the Republicans for bypassing the filibuster.
“It’s going nuclear, plain and simple. It’s overruling the parliamentarian. And second, what goes around comes around,” the senator stated to reporters.
Additionally, New Mexico Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich supported the sentiments of the Senate Minority Leader.
“If Senate Republicans compel a vote on the California Clean Air Act Waivers, they establish a precedent that would enable Congress to overturn nearly any agency decision across the nation,” he remarked prior to the vote. “I urge my colleagues to reject this blatant overreach.”
“By opening this door, Republicans jeopardize our permitting and regulatory framework, resulting in increased energy costs for Americans and hindering the initiation of new developments. In fact, almost every significant and minor project that the federal government engages with could be delayed, leading to considerable uncertainty if not outright chaos. This is not what the American populace desires, and it should not be the intention of Senate Republicans, either,” he added.
“The sole individuals who have made efforts to eliminate the legislative filibuster – the Democrats – every single one of them who is vocally expressing their opinions has, in fact, voted to abolish the legislative filibuster,” stated Senate Majority Leader and Republican South Dakota Senator John Thune during a press conference on Tuesday.
“This represents a unique and specific issue concerning the Government Accountability Office and whether they should have the authority to define what constitutes a rule, or if that decision should rest with the administration and Congress,” he added.
Senate Majority Whip and Wyoming Republican Senator John Barrasso referred to California’s electric vehicle (EV) strategy as a “fantasyland” that would adversely affect ranchers and farmers in his state.
“California’s EV regulations prohibit the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles. They jeopardize the liberty of every American to select their mode of transportation,” he remarked. “Currently, EVs comprise 7% of the US market. Even in California, they represent only 20% of vehicle sales. Moreover, sales are stagnating. Nevertheless, California’s extreme mandates stipulate that 35% of all vehicle sales must be electric by 2026 – just six months away. By 2035, this requirement escalates to 100%.”
