Crapo Leads Legislation to Preserve Consumer Vehicle Choice
Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced legislation to preserve Idahoans’ access to affordable, reliable vehicles of their choice. The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tailpipe emissions rule finalized under the Biden-Harris Administration. This rule is the most aggressive tailpipe emissions proposal ever crafted and a de facto mandate for mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) and phase-out of gas-powered cars and trucks. The CARS Act would further prevent future tailpipe regulations that limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on engine type.
“The rule-making process under the previous Administration pushed a radical green agenda that harmed consumer choice in the automobile industry,” said Crapo. “Americans deserve to have access to affordable, reliable vehicles fueled by American-made energy products. However, the EPA’s tailpipe rule will 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.”
The bill is supported by the American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers.
“The last EPA finalized a regulation effectively banning most gasoline, diesel and hybrid vehicles. The rule is bad for consumers, bad for the U.S. economy and indefensible from a national security perspective. Congress never provided EPA with such sweeping authority, which the CARS Act makes undoubtedly clear. AFPM commends Senator Crapo for his leadership, once again, on this issue,” said Chet Thompson, President and CEO of American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. “The CARS Act will preserve consumer choice and allow individuals and families to continue selecting the cars and trucks that work best for them. Under this legislation, EPA would retain the ability to set ambitious, technology-neutral vehicle emission standards, but those standards may not be manipulated to ban gas cars.”
“EPA exceeded its authority by imposing a vehicle mandate that takes choices away from American consumers and deepens our dependence on China,” said Kristin Whitman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Petroleum Institute. “We thank Sen. Crapo for his leadership in rolling back this extreme mandate and restoring the ability of all Americans to select the new car or truck that best fits their budget and lifestyle.”
Additional co-sponsors in the Senate include Senators
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the EPA finalized a rule titled “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Year 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles,” which sets stringent emissions standards for criteria pollutants and greenhouse gasses for these vehicles and is a de facto EV mandate. Under the rule, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles--which still represent the overwhelming majority of new car sales--can make up no more than 30 percent of new sales by 2032.
The average price of an EV is still significantly higher than the average price of a gas-powered vehicle, even with massive government subsidies for EVs paid for by American taxpayers. EV mandates threaten to hurt everyday Americans and cost auto workers their jobs while simultaneously helping China, given that China continues to dominate the EV supply chain. In recent years, demand for EVs made up less than ten percent of new car sales.
The CARS Act would:
- Rescind the EPA tailpipe emissions rule;
- Prohibit the use of authority under the Clean Air Act to issue regulations that mandate the use of any specific technology or that limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on that vehicle’s engine type. This includes any regulation prescribed on or after January 1, 2021;
- Require the EPA to update any regulations since January 1, 2021, that result in the limited availability of new vehicles based on that vehicle’s engine within two years; and
- End the EPA’s radical agenda, which is driving up costs for people and handing the keys of America’s auto industry to China.
Crapo introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress and led similar efforts to end de facto EV mandates.
Additional co-sponsors of the bill include Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Florida), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming).
Download text of the bill HERE.
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