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Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) provided the following statement in response to news that Stellantis, a major automaker, plans for layoffs in Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan, as they announce shift cuts in order to manage sales of vehicles it produces to comply with California emissions regulations:

“When the government imposes its will on free markets, economies falter and fail, leaving hardworking families to pick up the pieces. And that is exactly what is happening to workers in Toledo and Detroit. California’s misguided emissions regulations, which would place strict new requirements on automakers to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars and light trucks by 2035 in favor of so-called zero-emission vehicles, are impacting people right here in Ohio and the Midwest.

“This news is, unfortunately, a prime example of why the federal government cannot assume a one-size-fits-all approach or tip the scales in favor of certain types of vehicles. To turn the tide against the administration’s concerted effort to end production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, I am championing the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, which would outright prevent the EPA from granting a waiver to California leading to the ban of ICE vehicles. Americans whether in Ohio or elsewhere should be able to decide what kind of vehicle best suits the needs of them and their families, not the federal government.”

The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 16, 2023, and now awaits consideration in the U.S. Senate.

Latta penned an op-ed in The Washington Times in August to address the Biden Administration’s efforts to rapidly expand electric vehicle fleets in the United States. Click here to read the full op-ed. 

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