US Senate Blocks California Ban on Gas-Powered Vehicles
On Thursday, Senate Republicans voted 51–44 to block California's effort to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a cornerstone of the state's push to reduce pollution. Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin, whose state is home to the U.S. auto industry, was the sole Democrat to vote with Republicans. Three Republicans and two Democrats did not vote.The blocked policy was part of California's broader effort to curb air pollution — the worst in the nation — by mandating a transition to electric vehicles and stricter diesel truck standards. The state has historically relied on a Clean Air Act waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce more stringent emission rules than federal standards. Eleven other states, along with Washington, D.C., have adopted California's existing vehicle standards. This is the first time such a waiver-based rule has been overturned by Congress.
Supporters of the resolution, including Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), criticized the mandates as costly and overreaching. 'Consumers should be able to purchase the vehicle of their choice,' Capito said. 'I have a big problem with electric vehicle mandates that replace the will of the consumer and the will of the government.'Opponents of the measure, including California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, condemned the vote as an illegal power grab. Padilla, who grew up in the smog-choked San Fernando Valley, warned against reversing decades of environmental progress. 'With these votes, Senate Republicans are bending the knee to President Trump once again,' he said.Governor Gavin Newsom called the vote 'unconstitutional,' accusing Republicans of evading Senate rules and undermining state authority. 'We won't stand by as Trump Republicans make America smoggy again,' Newsom said. 'We are going to fight this unconstitutional attack on California in court.'
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