Washington, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Republican Leader John Shimkus (R-IL), and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released a statement after the release of the joint Safer Affordable Fuel Emissions (SAFE) Vehicles Rule issued by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“We are in a global marketplace and the SAFE Vehicles Rule recognizes our need to protect the environment while maintaining our global leadership. We cannot allow China to use this unprecedented time to outpace the United States. We thank the entire Trump Administration, particularly NHTSA and EPA, for a transparent, deliberative rulemaking process that led to the increase of fuel efficiency standards based on the latest scientific data, market trends, technological advancements, and stakeholder input. The SAFE Vehicles Rule strikes the right balance between reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and lowering the cost of new vehicles for consumers. It is clear from this rule that the Trump Administration is committed to getting more Americans into newer, safer, and cleaner vehicles. This is a smart rule that doesn’t put us leagues behind China when we all know they never play by the same rules. We look forward to working with the Administration and fellow committee members to maintain vehicle safety and fuel efficiency," the leaders said.
Background:
In August of 2018, Energy and Commerce Committee GOP Leaders Walden, Bob Latta (R-OH), John Shimkus (R-IL), and Fred Upton (R-MI) sent a letter applauding NHTSA and EPA for their transparent rulemaking process.
In June 2019, the Subcommittees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Environment and Climate Change held a joint hearing titled, “Driving in Reverse: The Administration’s Rollback of Fuel Economy and Clean Car Standards."
