Washington, D.C. – In anticipation of House passage of Republicans’ illegitimate Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval, H.J. Res. 87, H.J. Res. 88, and H.J. Res. 89, that seek to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) waivers for California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Omnibus (HDO) rules, respectively, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) sent a letter to members of the House opposing all three resolutions. LCV also joined a letter with more than 120 health and environmental groups and a letter with over 80 environmental, human needs, and good government groups and labor unions, including AFL-CIO and UAW, urging representatives to reject these so-called CRAs, and issued the following statement:

“These so-called Congressional Review Act resolutions are nothing more than an illegitimate power grab,” said Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis. “In this case, the CRAs are being wielded to block clean air protections, and will, ultimately, prevent U.S. automakers from making more efficient vehicles that are less expensive to drive. This would risk domestic manufacturing investments while other countries and manufacturers win the global competition. For more than 50 years, California has had the authority to set strong vehicle standards under the Clean Air Act, and this authority has been reaffirmed by administrations of both parties. Around a dozen states have also adopted these innovative and flexible standards. We urge Congress to not hinder the states’ decisions to clean up their air and deliver greater cost-saving vehicle choices for their residents.”

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LCV letter

Re: Oppose H.J. Res. 87, 88, and 89 the illegal CRAs disapproving of EPA’s cleaner cars and trucks waivers

Dear Representative:

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) believes that everyone has a right to clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate protected by a just and equitable democracy. Each year, LCV publishes the National Environmental Scorecard, which details the voting records of members of Congress on environmental legislation.  The Scorecard is distributed to LCV members, concerned voters nationwide, and the media.

LCV urges you to vote NO on the illegitimate Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval, H.J. Res. 87, H.J. Res. 88, and H.J. Res. 89, that seek to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) waivers for the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Omnibus (HDO) rules, respectively. These resolutions attempt to block the state preemption waivers provided to California by the EPA under the Clean Air Act for setting stronger than federal tailpipe pollution standards for cars and trucks. Eliminating these waivers would undermine critical cleaner vehicle standards that help to reduce health-harming transportation pollution, reduce the cost of operating a car or truck, and address the climate crisis. Illegally attempting to use the CRA to eliminate this waiver granted to one state would also open the floodgates for other attempts to block state rights as members of Congress could attempt to remove other state waivers, such as the hundreds provided to states for various portions of Medicaid, using a similar, illegitimate, co-opted CRA process.

For nearly 50 years, the Clean Air Act has granted California the ability to set cleaner vehicle standards that meet or exceed the federal standards because they had and continue to have such unique and challenging air quality problems. Other states with challenging air pollution also are allowed to follow California’s standards, and around a dozen have done so, helping clean their air and deliver more cost-saving vehicle choices for their residents and businesses, too. Attacking California’s waivers would subsequently damage these states’ clean air efforts as well.

Cleaning up cars and trucks is essential to cleaning up our air and reducing associated health problems like asthma and mitigating climate change. Cars and trucks are a major source of health-harming pollutants like particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) that also form smog. Exposure to these pollutants increases health problems like asthma attacks, strokes, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.

Cleaner cars and trucks standards also help to expand consumer choice by building an expanded marketplace of more fuel-efficient vehicles and more drivetrain options. According to Consumer Reports, efficiency and emissions standards for cars have delivered $9,000 in fuel savings to consumers when fueling up their vehicle. Eliminating these standards would not only block these savings – it would make vehicles more than $8,000 more expensive to fuel compared to if existing standards stay in place.

We urge you to REJECT H.J. Res. 87, H.J. Res. 88, and H.J. Res. 89, the so-called Congressional Review Act resolutions, because they would risk California’s and several other states’ cleaner cars and trucks standards, which would harm their efforts to clean the air and save drivers and businesses money. We will strongly consider including vote(s) on these resolutions in the 2025 Scorecard. If you would like more information, please contact a member of our government relations team.

Sincerely,

Pete Maysmith

President

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