Washington, D.C.–Support from energy and automobile industry groups continues to grow for the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska). The legislation would prevent efforts by the Biden Administration to impose a de facto electric vehicle mandate, and would ensure Americans have access to choose the vehicles that meet their needs. Representative Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) first introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 6, 2023. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the bill to the full House on September 1, 2023.
“The Idaho Automobile Dealers Association strongly endorses the CARS Act. Our dealers recognize that our Idaho and US citizens and customers should have a choice in the automobiles they purchase, whether they be an EV, a hybrid, or an internal combustion engine powered vehicle. These decisions are best made by free markets, the free, local markets in our communities, and not through bureaucratic overregulation made by federal agencies in Washington DC.” – Jim Addis, Idaho Automobile Dealers Association
“Our industries and communities are better served by access to affordable, reliable, and efficient means of transportation. The EPA’s proposed rules to establish stringent emissions standards would extremely limit the number of reliable equipment and transportation choices for our farmers, ranchers, and communities where they live. We applaud Sen. Crapo and all those sponsoring the CARS Act for pushing back against these proposed rules that would hurt families and businesses in our state and across the country.” – Bryan Searle, President, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
“The Biden administration’s proposal to ban most gasoline, diesel, flex fuel and hybrid vehicles is bad for consumers, bad for our economy and indefensible from a national security perspective. Congress never provided EPA with such sweeping authority, which the CARS Act makes undoubtedly clear. AFPM commends Senators Crapo and Ricketts for their leadership in tackling this issue. The CARS Act will preserve consumer choice and allow individuals and families to continue selecting the cars and trucks that work best for them. Under this legislation, EPA would retain the ability to set ambitious, technology-neutral vehicle emission standards, but those standards may not be manipulated to force vehicle electrification.” – Chet Thompson, President and CEO, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers
“We welcome Sen. Crapo’s and Sen. Ricketts’ efforts to safeguard Americans’ freedoms and prevent the EPA from imposing a de facto ban on the sale of new vehicles that use gasoline and other liquid fuels. The Senate should work expeditiously to pass The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act, to ensure the EPA’s intrusive government policy doesn’t limit American families’ access to affordable and reliable vehicle options.” – Amanda Eversole, Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer, American Petroleum Institute
“SEMA thanks Sens. Crapo and Ricketts for introducing this important bill to ensure that the American people can continue to choose the type of motor vehicle that best serves their needs. The automotive aftermarket has a forward-looking vision that embraces new technology to make vehicles cleaner and more efficient, which includes hydrogen, electric, alternative fuels and continuing to improve the internal-combustion engine. Congress must pass the CARS Act to ensure federal policies that seek to decarbonize transportation are technology neutral and not favoring one technology over the other.” – Mike Spagnola, CEO, Specialty Equipment Market Association
“We must preserve consumer choice, maintain safety, and enable healthy competition in auto markets by ensuring Americans have access to reliable and affordable vehicles. The Biden administration continues restricting an individual’s agency by effectively mandating a sales ban on combustion engine vehicles, instead favoring “zero-emission vehicles”. Sens. Crapo and Ricketts’ bill pushes back against Biden’s EPA emissions rule and closes the loophole exploited through the Clean Air Act that hurts American families.” – Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President, Heritage Action
“The Biden-Harris EPA is continuing their regulatory blitz on small-business truckers and attempting to force truckers into purchasing costly alternative vehicles. It’s baffling that the EPA is pushing forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing the overwhelming concerns with electric CMVs such as the absence of a national charging infrastructure network for heavy-duty trucks. OOIDA supports Senators Crapo and Ricketts’ legislation that will reign in EPA’s overreach and protect consumer choice. Clean air is a priority for everyone, but any new regulations must ensure that vehicles are reliable and affordable for professional truckers.” – Todd Spencer, President, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
“We applaud Senator Crapo for the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023, which ensures Americans the ability to choose their vehicle of choice. We need innovations from all types of technology to get the best results for our environment and our economy. Senators Crapo and Ricketts’ bill would allow that to happen and would prevent a regulator from prematurely deciding that only one specific technology is worthy of investment.” – Paige Anderson, Director of Government Relations, National Association of Convenience Stores
“The National Propane Gas Association applauds Senator Crapo and Senator Ricketts for supporting alternative fuel vehicles, like propane, by introducing the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act of 2023. Propane stands as an affordable and abundant fuel, presenting a viable alternative in any city nationwide. Even the Department of Energy notes transitioning to alternative fuels, such as propane, can deliver long-term financial and maintenance savings. Consumers should be able to choose the best fuel for their circumstances, and the CARS Act allows them to continue to have that choice.” – Michael Baker, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, National Propane Gas Association
“It’s vital to America’s functioning that the trucking sector has access to reliable commercial vehicles. The CARS Act ensures that diesel-engine trucks remain an option until the market, not bureaucrats, decides otherwise. NASTC commends Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Pete Ricketts for their legislation to halt misguided, disruptive regulatory overreach.” – David Owen, President, National Association of Small Trucking Companies
Full text of the bill can be found HERE. Initial news release of the bill can be found HERE.