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12h ago

Senate Votes to Nullify California’s Stricter Vehicle Emissions Waiver

The resolution, passed 51–44, overturns California’s authority to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035 and now awaits President Trump’s signature.

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 U.S. Senate used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke California’s EPA waiver, which allowed the state to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than federal rules.
  • Republicans bypassed rulings by the Senate parliamentarian and Government Accountability Office, which had determined the waiver was not subject to CRA review.
  • California’s waiver supported a policy requiring all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035, a rule adopted by 11 other states.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom has pledged legal action, arguing the move undermines states’ rights and jeopardizes public health and climate goals.
  • The resolution now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it into law, marking a significant shift in U.S. climate and regulatory policy.