On Tuesday, the American Trucking Association (ATA) said it supports legislation that would prohibit regulations eliminating the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines.
The bill, H.R. 1435 – the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, was introduction by U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) in response to regulations like the California Air Resource Board’s move to “effectively” ban the sale of new, internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, Joyce’s office said. Those moves, Joyce said, would force car manufacturers to cease production of internal combustion engine vehicles. The legislation would also restrict the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing any waivers that would ban the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines.
“California regulators shouldn’t have the power to determine what vehicles are sold to families in Pennsylvania,” Joyce said. “One state should not be able to set national policy and Americans should not be forced into making purchases they are unable to afford.”
The legislation has passed through the House Energy and Commerce Committee and now goes to the floor of the House.
ATA said it supports the technology-neutral approach to legislation that encourages innovation to meet the needs of the trucking industry while reducing emissions.
“ATA believes we must set national, achievable, and realistic targets and timelines along the way to our shared goal of zero emissions. Those efforts must be made through a lens of technology neutrality, allowing innovation to provide a wide range of solutions that meet the diverse needs of the trucking industry,” Bill Sullivan, Executive Vice President of Advocacy for the American Trucking Associations. “To that end, we thank House Republicans for their leadership in advancing alternatives to the unachievable timelines being proposed by California. Setting a patchwork of regulations will disrupt the nation’s supply chain and force motor carriers to purchase costly, early-stage equipment and operate it in an environment with insufficient infrastructure support.”
U.S. Rep. Bob Lotta (R-Ohio), a co-sponsor of the bill, said the federal government should remain neutral when it comes to what vehicle manufacturers sell.
“The federal government should not be picking winners and losers that determine which kind of cars Americans drive – whether that’s a gas and diesel car or an electric vehicle,” Lotta said. “Yet, if the EPA grants California’s waiver request to ban internal combustion engine vehicles, Americans across the country will lose the ability to choose the vehicle that works best for them and their families. This is an issue of preserving the rights of the American consumer and allowing free markets to flourish…”