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5d ago

Senate Overturns California's Vehicle Emissions Waiver, Sending Resolution to Trump

The vote bypassed Senate procedural norms to revoke California's authority to implement stricter emissions standards and phase out gas-powered cars by 2035.

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2015, file photo, vehicles make their way westbound on Interstate 80 across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as seen from Treasure Island in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
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The Senate voted to eliminate California’s ability to require the phasing out most gas-powered vehicles by 2035. 
Aerial view of a parking lot with three cars parked. In between them are empty parking spaces with the text "EV charging only" painted in white.

Overview

  • The Senate voted 51-44 to overturn an EPA waiver that allowed California to set stricter vehicle emissions standards, including a ban on new gas-powered cars by 2035.
  • Senate Republicans used the Congressional Review Act to bypass a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office that the waiver was not subject to CRA oversight.
  • The resolution now heads to President Trump's desk, where it is expected to be signed into law, reversing one of the Biden administration's key environmental policies.
  • California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced plans to sue, challenging the legality of Congress's move and defending the state's authority under the Clean Air Act.
  • Critics argue the vote undermines state rights and climate goals, while supporters claim it prevents California's policies from imposing nationwide economic burdens.