Trump Signs Resolutions Nixing California’s EV Rules

President Donald Trump signed three congressional resolutions to block California’s landmark vehicle emissions mandates. The measures overturn California’s plans to phase out the sale of new gasoline-only vehicles by 2035, roll back its low-nitrogen oxide regulations for heavy-duty trucks, and rescind an Environmental Protection Agency waiver granted in December 2023 allowing the state to enforce stricter vehicle emissions standards.

The move will likely intensify a longstanding power struggle between the federal government and the Golden State over environmental policy and differences in state and federal policy priorities. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, vowed to challenge the resolutions in court, arguing that the moves are illegal and will tag California taxpayers with an estimated $45 billion in additional health care costs.

Serious legal questions loom over Congress’s authority to revoke a state-level law. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, previously determined that the Congressional Review Act cannot be used to block California’s vehicle emissions standards. The Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, agreed with that assessment.

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