U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, announced that the Senate has passed her joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal California's "Advanced Clean Cars II" regulation. This regulation aims to prohibit the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035.
Senator Capito stated, "Today, the Senate voted to end California’s EV mandate and send my joint resolution of disapproval under the CRA to President Trump’s desk. The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats tried to block the will of the American people from this attempt by extreme unelected California and Biden EPA bureaucrats to ban gas-powered cars throughout the country, but Congress has now spoken and soundly rejected this rule."
Capito emphasized that California's waiver would have negatively impacted various sectors across the U.S. economy, potentially costing hundreds of thousands of jobs. She expressed pride in leading efforts to protect American workers and consumers from what she described as a radical policy.
The timeline of Senator Capito's actions includes several key dates:
- February 28, 2024: Capito joined other legislators in a letter warning EPA Administrator Michael Regan about potential legal and economic consequences if California's waiver request was granted.
- December 18, 2024: Capito pledged to reverse approval for California’s waiver related to its “Advanced Clean Cars II” regulation.
- April 4, 2025: Capito collaborated with Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) on resolutions aimed at repealing California’s EV waivers.
- May 1, 2025: She praised the House for passing resolutions against these waivers.
- May 21, 2025: Capito spoke on ending California’s EV mandate using the Congressional Review Act process.
