House Democratic leaders are circulating an inner memo outlining opposition to Republicans’ effort to ban federal electrical car (EV) mandates and reverse current environmental rules concentrating on gas-powered automobiles.
The memo, obtained by Fox News Digital, states the so-called Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act would undermine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) capability to guard Americans from “dangerous air pollution” and provides such air pollution causes hundreds of untimely deaths yearly. The House Rules Committee green-lit the invoice earlier this week, teeing up a flooring vote Wednesday.
“Democrats are fighting to protect Americans’ right to clean air and a safe climate, protect public health, and support EPA’s mandate to address dangerous pollution from the transportation sector,” the memo states. “Over 100 million Americans live in counties with unhealthy air pollution, with children, the elderly, low income communities, and communities of color being disproportionately at risk. Air pollution is associated with over 100,000 premature deaths in the United States every year.”
“Republicans are employing scare tactics to deliberately mislead the American people about EVs in order to prop up Big Oil corporations,” it continues. “The reality is that EVs are already popular, cheaper to own, and ongoing technological advancements are translating to better options for consumers every year.”
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![Rep. Frank Pallone](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/05/1200/675/pallone.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the rating member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, speaks throughout a press convention on May 17, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The memo is being circulated by Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee led by Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who has advocated for an aggressive inexperienced vitality transition.
The CARS Act — launched over the summer time by Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Andrew Clyde, R-Ga. — would block rules the EPA proposed in April that will considerably enhance tailpipe emissions requirements for gas-powered automobiles. The invoice would additionally prohibit any rule mandating the usage of a selected know-how or rules that restrict the supply of recent automobiles based mostly on engine kind.
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In addition to arguing that continued reliance on gasoline automobiles could result in extra untimely deaths, the memo pushed again on Republicans’ arguments that the EPA actions quantity to an “EV mandate.” It notes that automakers are saying their very own EV manufacturing targets impartial of federal rules.
However, if the EPA rule is finalized, the White House projected {that a} staggering 67% of recent sedan, crossover, SUV and light-weight truck, and as much as 50% of bus and rubbish truck purchases may very well be electrical by 2032. It additionally stated the brand new requirements would “accelerate the transition to electric vehicles,” possible as a result of it might increase the value of gas-powered automobiles, making them cost-competitive with expensive EVs.
![The Biden administration is set to introduce restrictive tailpipe standards to push EV proliferation.](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/04/1200/675/Biden-EVs_April-2023.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
President Biden has set a purpose of making certain 50% of automotive purchases are electrical by 2030. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images | David Paul Morris/Bloomberg by way of Getty Images)
“Auto Innovators does not believe [the proposed standards] can be met without substantially increasing the cost of vehicles, reducing consumer choice, and disadvantaging major portions of the United States population,” John Bozzella, the CEO of the big auto business group Alliance for Automotive Innovation which helps EVs, stated after the EPA revealed its proposal in April.
“Taken together, the proposed GHG and criteria pollutant standards are so stringent as to set a de facto BEV mandate,” he added.
Opponents of EPA’s actions — that are a part of the Biden administration’s broader effort to extend EV possession within the U.S. and combat international warming by curbing carbon emissions produced by the transportation sector — have argued the brand new requirements would finally hurt customers by means of increased prices and by forcing them to purchase sure automobiles.
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They have additionally argued that a big EV push will profit Chinese business which at the moment dominates international EV battery provide chains.
“Voting for the CARS Act and taking a stand against EPA’s de facto ban on most new gasoline, diesel, flex fuel and hybrid vehicles should not be a partisan issue for members of the House,” American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Vice President of Government Relations Aaron Ringel advised Fox News Digital. “Banning vehicle and fuel technologies based on just one category of emissions is unlawful, illogical and bad for consumers, families and our national security. It would trade our hard-earned energy security for dependence on China.”
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According to Cox Automotive information, factoring in beneficiant tax credit, the common transaction worth for electrical automobiles was $53,469 as of July 2023, whereas the common worth of gas-powered automobiles was $48,334. And the Department of Energy reported that the common vary of mannequin yr 2021 gasoline automobiles was 403 miles in comparison with the median 234-mile vary of mannequin yr 2021 EVs. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“The CARS Act will preserve consumer choice and allow individuals and families to continue selecting the cars and trucks that work best for them,” Ringel stated. “Under this legislation, EPA would retain the ability to set ambitious, technology-neutral vehicle emission standards, but those standards may not be manipulated to force vehicle electrification or limit access to any vehicle powertrains.”
He additionally cited polling information indicating 60% of Americans oppose the EPA’s proposal. And he took intention at messaging defending the proposal.
“With regard to how some are messaging against the CARS Act, it’s silly to try and spin EPA’s proposal as anything other than a mandate and de facto ban,” he advised Fox News Digital. “People across the political and news spectrums acknowledge that the point of EPA’s proposal is to force electrification.”
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“But if electric vehicles were really the more affordable, convenient option for consumers and the market, EPA’s proposal wouldn’t be necessary,” Ringel concluded. “The proposal — which will eliminate most vehicle models that run all or in part on American-made, American-grown liquid fuels — is meant to force consumers in a direction they’re not asking to go, toward prices they do not want to pay.”
The White House stated in an announcement Monday that President Biden would veto the CARS Act if it have been handed. If the House approves the invoice Wednesday, it can transfer to the Senate the place it has already obtained bipartisan assist.