Blue-State Governors Form ‘Clean Cars' Coalition After Congress Blocks California's Strict Emissions Rules
Governors from 11 Democrat-led states said on May 23 that they're launching an 'affordable clean cars' coalition to promote non-fossil-fuel-powered vehicles after Congress voted to block California from setting stricter car emission standards than federal rules.
'The Affordable Clean Cars Coalition—led by the U.S. Climate Alliance—will sustain America's transition to cleaner and more affordable cars, support U.S. automotive manufacturers and workers, and preserve states' clean air authority,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a Friday
The climate alliance
Governors from California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington—all states that have adopted California-style low-emission vehicle rules or similar programs—are part of the coalition.
'We will continue collaborating as states and leveraging our longstanding authority under the Clean Air Act, including through state programs that keep communities safe from pollution, create good-paying jobs, increase consumer choice, and help Americans access cleaner and more affordable cars,' the 11 governors said in a joint statement, after Congress on May 22 voted to rescind California's latest federal waiver allowing it to set tougher emissions standards than national rules.
California has long received federal waivers allowing it to set tougher standards under the Clean Air Act, influencing national vehicle design due to its large market. Republicans have long said that the rules are too costly and burdensome for automakers.
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Advocating for greater consumer choice and fewer regulatory burdens on businesses, Republicans proposed a
The Senate
Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.), the resolution's sponsor, said that the initiative will protect consumer choice by ensuring all Americans can access vehicles that suit their needs, preferences, and budgets.
'American consumers, not out-of-touch politicians, should decide what vehicle best fits their individual needs,' Joyce said in a May 1
At the time, Joyce urged his Senate colleagues to support the measure 'to save our auto industry and protect the freedom of the open road.'
The resolution drew controversy because it aimed to overturn a waiver—rather than a regulation—which the Government Accountability Office
Newsom
'Republicans went around their own parliamentarian to defy decades of precedent,' Newsom said in a statement. 'We won't stand by as Trump Republicans make America smoggy again.'
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