On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved a resolution to rescind a waiver granted by the Biden administration that allowed California to enforce its own vehicle emissions standards. The decision challenges a key component of the state’s authority to implement aggressive climate policies, particularly its push for widespread electric vehicle adoption.
The waiver, originally issued in December, enabled California to enact its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) regulations. These rules require all new vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission models by the year 2035. The regulation has had a broad impact, with 17 other states and Washington, D.C., choosing to adopt California’s stricter emissions standards, reports Just the News.
The Biden administration had advanced two key policies that effectively set a national electric vehicle (EV) mandate: stringent tailpipe emissions rules, and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulate average emissions across automakers’ fleets.
The resolution to revoke the waiver passed with a vote of 225-196 resolution, which was introduced under the Congressional Review Act which allows Congress to block finalized federal regulations.. Only one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, opposed the measure. The proposal now moves to the Senate, where it must be approved before being sent to President Donald Trump for final consideration.
