Senate GOP Plans Vote to Overturn California EV Emissions Waiver

Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, are preparing to vote on overturning an Environmental Protection Agency waiver that allows California to enforce stricter vehicle emissions standards, including a mandate requiring all vehicles sold in the state to be electric by 2035. This move challenges the Senate parliamentarian's ruling that the waiver is not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which Republicans intend to use to revoke the rule with a simple majority vote. The waiver affects not only California but also 11 other states and Washington, D.C., representing nearly 40% of the U.S. population, and has significant implications for the automotive industry, especially businesses reliant on internal combustion engine vehicles. Democrats have criticized the Republican strategy as a "nuclear option" that breaks Senate norms and could set a dangerous precedent, while Republicans argue the waiver imposes a nationwide EV mandate with potentially devastating economic and energy consequences. Industry groups like the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) support the repeal, warning that the EV mandate threatens jobs and economic impact tied to the internal combustion engine market. Despite opposition and procedural controversies, the Senate vote is expected imminently, reflecting a broader partisan battle over federal versus state control of vehicle emissions standards.