Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has joined Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), and 113 congressional colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman, calling for the withdrawal of the Biden Administration's proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The proposed standards, which would require automakers to more than double average fleet-wide fuel economy in less than 10 years, have raised concerns among lawmakers.

In the letter, the lawmakers express their deep concern with the NHTSA's proposed CAFE standards, stating that they represent an attempt by the Biden Administration to impose its climate agenda on American families. They argue that the proposed standards, when combined with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) tailpipe emissions proposal, effectively mandate the mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) and a phase-out of gas-powered cars and trucks.

"The proposal issued in July is mere virtue signaling for this Administration's extreme climate agenda, but it would actually have only limited impact on emissions while strengthening foreign adversaries and harming American workers and consumers," the lawmakers concluded.

Senator Tuberville believes that the Biden Administration's focus on electric vehicles shows a lack of understanding of the American people. He argues that while EVs might work in cities like San Francisco and New York, they should not be forced upon rural America. According to data from Kelley Blue Book, the average price of an EV is over $17,000 more than the average price of a gas-powered vehicle. Tuberville argues that the Administration's push for EVs threatens everyday Americans and puts auto workers' jobs at risk while benefiting China, which dominates the EV supply chain.

This is not the first time Senator Tuberville has raised concerns about the proposed CAFE standards. He previously signed a similar letter on January 11 with Senator Crapo and U.S. Representative John James (R-MI) to Senate and House Republican leadership, expressing concerns with the proposed standards. In October 2023, Tuberville also cosponsored the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, which aims to counter the Biden Administration's environmental agenda and prevent the implementation of regulations that limit consumer vehicle choice.

It remains to be seen how the NHTSA will respond to the lawmakers' letter and whether any changes will be made to the proposed CAFE standards. Senator Tuberville and his colleagues hope that the NHTSA will reconsider its approach and put forth a proposal that complies with the law and better serves the American people.