“California wants to export its radical and impractical electric vehicle mandate to all 50 states. California’s mandates are a progressive power grab.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today called on the United States Senate to overturn California’s radical Electric Vehicle (EVs) Mandate, which would force all Americans to buy and drive electric vehicles.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“In 2024, on Election Day, voters demanded more economic freedom and less government overreach. President Trump and Republicans in Congress heard them. The State of California did not.
“California wants to export its radical and impractical electric vehicle mandate to all 50 states. California’s mandates are a progressive power grab. They dictate what cars and trucks Americans can buy and drive. These mandates are not limited to California. They are calculated to control the policy of the entire nation. Congress must now act to protect the rights of the American people to drive gas-powered vehicles.
“Last week, House Republicans, with 35 House Democrats, voted to defend that freedom and defeat the mandate. The Senate must now finish the job.
“California’s mandates spread far and wide. They affect 133 million Americans, nearly 40 percent of our nation. Here’s why. Twelve states copy the California mandate to ban gas-powered cars by 2036. Ten states copy the California mandate to ban gas-powered trucks by 2036. They include large population states like New York. Even the Junior Senator from California admits that California’s liberal mandates affect the entire country, and he says he’s ‘very proud’ of it.
“California wants every car to be electric within ten years. Yet today, only one in ten is – despite government prodding and endless subsidies. The Washington Post reported last month that ‘Americans are losing interest in EVs.’ Interest in owning an EV has dropped 8 percentage points since 2023.
“The message is clear: Americans don’t want EVs, even when government tries to bribe them to buy and use them. People want to buy the car or truck that works best for them and the lives they lead. The average price of an electric car is $62,000. That is $16,000 more than comparable gas-powered vehicles. California’s mandates that the Democrats are pushing would raise prices even more. It would also limit options. That is not progress. It is a policy that punishes working families, farmers, truckers, and people who live in rural areas.
“Worse, EV batteries rely on China. 80 percent of EV battery components come from China. Republicans here in the Senate are fighting to end America’s dependence on China. California’s mandates supported by the Democrats make that dependence even more dangerous It risks our safety, security, and strategic independence.
“The Biden administration used its final days to grant California permission to export its EV mandate across the country. They did this just one month before President Trump took office. They already lost the election. They already knew the American people rejected what they stood for. And yet, they still tried to push this onto the American people, and they’re trying to push it today. That is midnight meddling.
“Senate Republicans are ready to use the Congressional Review Act to stop it. We’ll protect Americans’ rights to purchase a gas-powered vehicle. That’s what we’re fighting for, and we have every right to do so.
“California’s mandates have already taken root in a dozen states. They affect 40% of all new light-duty vehicle registrations and a quarter of new heavy-duty vehicle registrations nationwide. They clearly affect the kind of vehicles which will be manufactured and sold in America. They affect the costs and availability of gas-powered cars and trucks across the country, even in states that do not adopt the mandates.
“To my Democrat colleagues, who will tolerate California controlling what Americans can drive, do you think the American people really support what you’re trying to shove down their throats? No, they don’t. No wonder the Democrats lost the election.
“Are the Democrats willing to strip consumers and small businesses of their right to choose the vehicles that work for their needs and budgets?
“Do Democrats want to continue to protect the failures and fallacies of the Green New Deal? Or for once will the Democrats join Republicans to protect working families? It is no surprise that Republicans have become the party supporting and protecting the rights of working families. People have rejected the Democrats.
“The Senate needs to reject cheerleading by climate extremists for more regulation by unelected bureaucrats. But that’s what the Democrats are supporting. The Senate should use the Congressional Review Act to reject this Joe Biden midnight madness. By doing so, we will protect consumer choice, affordability, and congressional authority. It’s time to put Americans back in the driver’s seat.”
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