news

Click here to read the article on the Published Reporter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  GOP members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday introduced a bill that, if passed, would block California’s “heavy handed” electric vehicle (EV) mandates and their upcoming ban on the sales of gas-powered automobiles within the state.

The legislation – dubbed the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act – was led by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), who said that it is intended to protect the ability of American consumers to make their own choices when purchasing vehicles and to prevent unreasonable mandates that would ultimately result in higher costs.

“We have seen time and time again that heavy-handed government intervention – like California’s proposal to ban internal combustion engine vehicles – limits consumer choice and infringes upon Americans’ freedoms when choosing what’s best for themselves and their families,” Latta said. “California’s misguided proposal will have ramifications that go well beyond its own borders and would make it more difficult for Americans to get to work, drop their kids off at school, and travel to visit loved ones.”

The bill comes on the heels of new California regulations that declare that all new car sales in the state must be comprised of only “zero emission” vehicles by 2035.

In addition to Latta, Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and John Joyce (R-PA), also sponsored the bill.

Obernolte noted that he has thrown his support behind the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act due to the fact that EVs are currently not a viable financial option for many of his constituents. 

“In places like my rural California district where many people commute several hours to work every day just to feed their families, electric vehicles are not only unaffordable, but also impractical — especially when residents are asked to unplug their vehicle chargers to accommodate the state’s failure to produce sufficient electricity,” he said. “We need a market-based approach that will enable continued competition in the marketplace and push electric vehicles to be better and more affordable while enabling people to make their own choices about what type of car to drive.”