Findlay Times

This week, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) has joined a group of lawmakers in urging the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to withdraw the proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The proposed standards, which aim to increase fuel economy, have been criticized for effectively mandating the mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) and phasing out gas-powered cars and trucks.

In a letter addressed to NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman, Latta and his colleagues expressed their concerns about the proposed standards. They argued that the regulations do not comply with federal law and would have negative consequences for American families, businesses, and national security. The lawmakers stated, "NHTSA's proposed standards, when coupled with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) distinct, extreme tailpipe emissions proposal, amount to a de facto mandate for electric vehicles (EVs) that threatens to raise costs and restrict consumer choice, harm U.S. businesses, degrade our energy and national security and hand the keys of our automotive industry over to our adversaries, especially China."

The lawmakers further emphasized that the proposed standards are more of a symbolic gesture for the Biden Administration's climate agenda rather than an effective solution to reduce emissions. They urged NHTSA to drop its attempt at central planning and instead propose regulations that comply with the law and better serve the American people.

This is not the first time Congressman Latta has taken action to preserve Americans' freedom of choice when purchasing vehicles. In March 2023, he helped introduce the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, which aims to restrict the EPA from issuing any waiver for new regulations that would ban the use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines. The bill passed the U.S. House in September 2023.

In addition, in 2022, Latta led a group of 157 House colleagues in a letter to President Biden opposing a waiver from the state of California that would ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles.

The lawmakers' efforts to challenge the proposed CAFE standards align with their commitment to protecting consumer choice, promoting American businesses, and ensuring energy and national security. The letter serves as a call for NHTSA to reconsider the regulations and propose a more balanced approach that takes into account the concerns of all stakeholders involved.

It remains to be seen how NHTSA will respond to this bipartisan call to withdraw the electric vehicle mandate. As discussions continue, the fate of the proposed CAFE standards and the future of the automotive industry hang in the balance.