H.R. Res 136 ends the Biden-Harris EPA’s de facto EV mandate

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke on the House Floor today in support of H.J. Res 136, which will end the Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) unreasonable tailpipe emissions rule. Her prepared remarks are below:

“I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 136, led by Energy and Commerce Republican Member John James.

“Over and over again, the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency has doubled down on its radical rush-to-green energy agenda.

“The EPA’s latest tailpipe emissions rule is not really about reducing air pollution—it’s about forcing Americans to drive electric vehicles.

“By the EPA’s own estimation, the new rule will effectively require at least two-thirds of all new cars in the United States to be 100 percent electric by 2032—not hybrids, not plug-in hybrids, not hydrogen, not any other clean technology.

“This unreasonable rule is just another example of how the Biden-Harris administration’s rush-to-green agenda is handing China the keys to America’s energy future, jeopardizing our auto industry, and forcing people to buy unaffordable EVs they do not want.

“Here are the facts: In May, the average fully electric model was $17,326 more expensive than the average gas-burning compact crossover.

“At the beginning of this year, nearly 5,000 American car dealers sent a letter to the President demanding he 'hit the brakes' on the EPA’s unrealistic agenda after EVs stacked up on their car lots.

“And recently, J.D. Power cut its projected sales of EVs by 25 percent—citing increased competition in the market for gasoline-powered vehicle alternatives.

“Despite all of this, the Biden-Harris EPA has continued its de facto EV mandates, undeterred by the reality of what Americans actually want.

“Instead of forcing Americans to spend more money on vehicles that they don’t want to buy—on vehicles that only advance a political agenda—let's get back to the work of making sure that people have access to affordable, reliable, and functional means of transportation.

“To ensure Americans drive what vehicle best suits their needs, vote YES on H.J. Res 136 to put an end to the EPA’s unreasonable tailpipe emissions rule.”