Why some House Democrats helped block California’s 2035 gas car ban
Thirty-five House Democrats joined Republicans to overturn California’s plan to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035, citing concerns about affordability and heavy industry lobbying.
Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The House voted 246-164 to repeal California’s waiver allowing the state to require all new vehicles sold by 2035 to be electric or nonpolluting, with 35 Democrats breaking from their party.
- Lawmakers cited high electric vehicle costs, impacts on working-class constituents, and aggressive lobbying from oil, gas, and automotive industries, which spent over $10 million opposing the policy.
- Despite the vote, legal experts argue the Congressional Review Act does not apply to California’s Clean Air Act waiver, but the Senate may still act on the repeal.
Key quote:
“There’s no sugar coating this. This was a terrible vote.”
— Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of government affairs, League of Conservation Voters
Why this matters:
Transportation is the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making the transition to electric vehicles a cornerstone of climate strategies aimed at limiting global warming. California’s aggressive timeline for phasing out gasoline-powered cars was a model adopted by other states and represented a significant step toward reducing carbon pollution and improving air quality. The repeal effort, backed by powerful fossil fuel and automotive lobbies, reflects broader political and economic tensions surrounding the U.S. energy transition. While EVs promise lower long-term costs and emissions, high upfront prices, limited infrastructure, and economic anxieties pose challenges for consumers and lawmakers alike. The rollback could slow progress in cutting transportation emissions, which not only fuel climate change but also worsen air quality.
Read more: House votes to block California truck emission rules, challenging legal norms
