Central ND News

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven expressed his concerns after the Biden administration finalized a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that mandates unworkable emissions reductions for light- and medium-duty vehicles by 2032, effectively imposing a mandate for electric vehicles (EVs) and the phasing out of internal combustion engine vehicles.

Last year, Senator Hoeven, along with Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to prevent the implementation of the EPA rule and preserve the availability of new vehicles for consumers. In December, the House passed the companion bill to the CARS Act, currently awaiting consideration by the Senate. Senator Hoeven, together with his colleagues, also urged the EPA to withdraw the rule, highlighting its potential negative impacts on American consumers.

"Instead of letting innovation and consumer choice lead the way, the Biden administration is heaping regulatory burdens, one after another, on American consumers," Senator Hoeven stated. "This means higher costs for buying a new vehicle, hurting families’ pocketbooks and causing older, less efficient vehicles to stay on the road longer."

The finalized EPA rule has sparked concerns among policymakers and stakeholders regarding its implications for consumer choice, vehicle affordability, and the overall automotive industry landscape in the United States.