Crapo, Ricketts Lead Legislation Pushing Back on Radical Electric Vehicle Mandate

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to counter the Biden Administration’s radical environmental agenda and executive overreach by preventing the implementation of a proposed rule and other regulations that seek to limit consumer vehicle choice.

“Once again, the Biden Administration’s rule-making process is being used to push a radical green agenda and pick winners and losers,” said Crapo.  “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.”

“The EPA cannot continue to pick winners and losers,” said Ricketts.  “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.”

Representative Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives in July.  The bill was reported to the full House by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on September 1, 2023.

“The Biden administration is willingly ceding American auto leadership to China by pursuing this misguided mandate,” said Walberg. “Many American families would simply be priced out of the auto market due to these quotas. On top of those issues, American manufacturing jobs will also be lost due to this government-mandated transition. We must block this rule and allow consumers and innovators to shape the future rather than bureaucrats. I look forward to my continued work with Senator Crapo as we fight for American auto leadership and consumer choice.”

Crapo and Ricketts are joined by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Mike Braun (R-Indiana) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing the legislation.

“The government should not be mandating to Americans what kind of cars and trucks they are allowed to buy, lease, and drive,” said Capito.  “In addition to high sticker prices and a lack of a sufficiently operational charging infrastructure, the Biden administration failed to take into account that electric vehicles currently rely on China for raw materials and on the same baseload power plants the EPA is simultaneously trying to close down.  The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act prevents these misguided emissions standards from taking effect and preserves freedom for American consumers.”

“We cannot allow the EPA to continue to impose oppressive and careless regulations that increase our dependence on foreign adversaries like China and make everyday necessities more expensive for Americans and their families.  I waited in line for gas in the 70s because America was too reliant on foreign oil, and I refuse to risk one day waiting in line for a Chinese battery,” said Manchin.  “This bipartisan legislation would rescind this federal overreach and protect access to traditional, affordable vehicles.  As Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I will continue to lead the fight against EPA’s radical climate agenda to protect our energy, national and economic security.”

“The Biden administration should not dictate which car Idahoans can purchase with their own hard-earned money, yet they are aiming to do just that with their radical green agenda,” said Risch.  “The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act puts an end to this insanity by ensuring families can purchase a vehicle that suits their needs.”

“From day one, this administration has been strangling the people of Wyoming with restrictive red tape and eroding their freedoms,” said Lummis.  “The Biden administration’s latest executive overreach is a thinly-veiled attempt to force the people of Wyoming into driving expensive electric vehicles at a time when they’re already struggling to keep up with soaring inflation rates.  American families—not the federal government—are the ones best suited to choose a vehicle that meets their needs, and I’m joining Senator Crapo in an effort to preserve consumer’s choice.”

“Yet again, the Biden Administration is prioritizing its leftwing, costly Green New Deal agenda over what is best for families and small businesses in Alabama.  This proposed rule is impractical and punitive for hardworking Americans who simply want to be able to choose the car that makes the most sense for their own individual circumstances, needs, and preferences.  As President Biden continues to prove how wildly out of touch his reckless policies are with the harsh realities facing our nation’s families, I will not stop fighting for common sense to prevail,” said Britt.

“The Biden administration’s radical far left policies are driving up costs, killing jobs, and crushing hard-working North Carolinians and families across the country,” said Budd.  “I want to thank Senator Crapo for his leadership in introducing the CARS Act push back against the EPA’s executive overreach and protect the ability of Americans to choose the vehicle that best meets their needs and that they can afford.”

“The Biden administration’s climate zealots are intent on forcing unrealistic, expensive regulations on Americans designed to change the most basic facets of life, even the type of car they can buy,” said Cramer.  “It’s absurd to think this somehow benefits middle-class Americans, who are already feeling the squeeze of ‘Bidenflation’ on their wallets.  Not to mention, EVs barely work in the cold and lack the range to traverse a large rural state like North Dakota.  We need to put a stop to this forced and dangerous agenda by prohibiting the EPA from any further attempts to mandate EVs.”

“Working families are already struggling under Joe Biden’s inflation, at a cost of nearly $1,000 a month,” said Tuberville.  “Now Joe Biden is trying to force them to buy electric vehicles, which cost about $60,000 on average.  The American people can’t afford this.  Electric vehicles might be a good choice in San Francisco, but we shouldn’t force them on Alabama.”

“It’s no secret that Biden’s EPA habitually imposes standards that do more harm than good to industry, and this latest tailpipe emissions scheme is the most aggressive yet.  It reeks of central government planning that would be more at home in a nondemocratic country,” said Hyde-Smith.  “This legislation is our effort to check this executive overreach that would only further disrupt markets, add to an already injured supply chain, and limit consumer choices.”

“President Biden has consistently pursued a radical environmental agenda at the expense of the American people,” said Wicker.  “At a time of unprecedented inflation, taxpayers cannot afford another attack on their pocketbooks.  This legislation would stop the administration’s misguided rule in its tracks.”

“Arkansans are paying more for food, energy and every day essentials.  These new restrictions add fuel to the fire and will drive the cost of vehicles even higher.  The CARS Act will rein in this overreaching policy and protect affordability and consumer choice,” said Boozman.

“The Biden administration’s woke proposal to block the sale of gas powered cars benefits Chinese manufacturing and hurts America’s industry,” said Kennedy.  “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 hard working people in our country.”

“Imposing unworkable mandates on car manufacturers will mean higher costs and fewer choices for U.S. consumers, while resulting in older, less efficient vehicles remaining on the road,” said Hoeven.  “That’s the wrong path forward for our nation. Instead of burdensome and costly federal rules, we should work to build a business environment that fosters innovation and choice in the marketplace.”

On April 12, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a draft 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 certain vehicles.  This rule is the most aggressive tailpipe emissions proposal ever crafted and a de facto mandate for mass production of electric vehicles (EVs).  The EPA has projected that, if finalized, over two-thirds of all new vehicles could be electric by 2032.

The average price of an EV is over $17,000 more than the average price of a gas-powered vehicle, according to data from Kelley Blue Book.  The Administration’s continued push for EVs threatens to hurt everyday Americans and costs auto workers their jobs while simultaneously helping China, given that China continues to dominate the EV supply chain.

The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act:

• Would prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing or enforcing its proposed emissions rule;
• Would 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;
• Would 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
• Would end the EPA’s radical agenda, which is driving up costs for people and handing the keys of America’s auto industry to China.

The bill is supported by the American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, National Propane Gas Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, Idaho Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, Energy Marketers of America, American Exploration and Production Council, American Energy Alliance, Western Energy Alliance, National Taxpayers Union, National Association of Small Trucking Companies, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Idaho Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association, National Automobile Dealers Association, Idaho Automobile Dealers Association, Texas Automobile Dealers Association, Montana Automobile Dealers Association, Specialty Equipment Market Association, Heritage Action and Americans for Prosperity.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.