In yet another attack on consumer rights, the Biden Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed an aggressive de facto mandate for two-thirds of all new vehicles to be electric in less than ten years. This ban on the sale of gasoline-powered cars and the mandate for the sale of EVs is just another part of Biden’s radical Green New Deal agenda.
The Administration’s tone-deaf “EV Revolution” and push for electrification fails to consider the cost implications it may have on hardworking Americans. EVs remain more expensive than the average vehicle, and according to a recent survey by Consumer Reports, EVs have almost 80% more problems and are generally less reliable than vehicles with internal combustion engines. With costs already rising, Americans, especially those living in rural areas like the 4th District, cannot afford to face the financial and practical challenges associated with forced electrification.
To make matters worse, the Biden Administration refuses to bolster our critical mineral processing, a key factor in producing the batteries necessary for EVs. While attempting to impose this de facto mandate, the Biden Administration simultaneously canceled two mine leases in Minnesota and enacted a 20-year ban on mining in more than 225,000 acres in the surrounding areas, where the minerals necessary to build EVs can be found in unparalleled quantities. The push for EVs, while blocking our ability to source the minerals required to produce them domestically, will drastically increase our nation’s dependency on foreign adversaries for critical minerals while incurring high costs to taxpayers; all to only decrease emissions by less than 1%.
This is precisely why I voted to pass HR 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act of 2023. This straightforward legislation will prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing its aggressive proposed rule that would set the de facto ban on the sale of new vehicles that use gasoline in motion. The bill further defends consumer choice by prohibiting the use of authority under the Clean Air Act to issue regulations that mandate the use of any technology that would limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on engine type. It also requires the EPA to update any regulations that result in the limited availability of new vehicles based on engine type within two years. Most importantly, the CARS Act stands up to the EPAs radical agenda and push for electrification, which only drives up costs for hardworking Americans and increases our dependency on our foreign adversaries, like the CCP.
Hardworking Americans deserve the right to choose what type of vehicle works best for them and their families. I will remain committed to standing up against onerous rules like this one that could infringe on Americans’ consumer rights.
