The 11 states’ ‘Affordable Clean Cars Coalition’ comes after Congress repealed California’s authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards.
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
announcement.
The climate alliance
said in a statement of its own that the coalition states will work together to defend their regulatory authority under the Clean Air Act, expand access to low-emission vehicles, push for tougher rules to further reduce vehicle emissions, and advocate for low-carbon fuels.
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.
Advocating for greater consumer choice and fewer regulatory burdens on businesses, Republicans proposed a
resolution that would deny California the federal waiver and also eliminate tax credits for electric vehicles enacted under the Biden administration.
The Senate
passed the measure on May 22 in a 51–44 vote, following House approval last month. The resolution is now expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump.
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
statement, when the resolution cleared the House. “Since I arrived in Washington, I have led this fight to protect consumer freedom and save the American auto industry from dangerous environmental regulations.”
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
said isn’t something Congress can repeal using the fast-track process under the Congressional Review Act. Democrats accused Republicans of misusing the Act, noting that the Senate’s own rules expert had advised that the waiver didn’t qualify for this type of vote.
Newsom
said California would sue if the repeal were enforced.
“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.”
