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5d ago

Senate to Vote on Overriding California’s Vehicle Emissions Waivers

Republican leaders plan to defy procedural rulings to revoke California’s authority, raising concerns about Senate norms and climate policy.

Electric vehicle chargers from Electrify America are shown in a shopping center parking lot in Oceanside, California, U.S.,October 19, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
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)
FILE: Rep. Kevin Kiley answers a question from the moderators during the California recall debate at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Aug. 4, 2021.
EVGO Inc. Fast electric vehicle chargers are shown charging a Chevy Bolt in Encintas, California, U.S.,October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Overview

  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced plans to proceed with a vote to overturn EPA waivers granted to California, which allow the state to enforce stricter vehicle emissions standards, including a 2035 gas-powered car ban.
  • Both the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have ruled that the waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA), but Republicans intend to disregard these rulings.
  • Democrats warn that overruling the parliamentarian could undermine the Senate’s procedural norms, including the filibuster, while Republicans argue the move is about reclaiming congressional authority from unelected agencies.
  • The House has already passed resolutions to rescind the waivers with bipartisan support, including votes from 35 Democrats, and the Senate vote could send the matter to President Trump for approval.
  • Key Republican senators, including Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, remain undecided, citing concerns about procedural precedent despite opposing California’s emissions policies.