SEEC Criticizes Republican Attack on Homegrown Innovation in American Auto Industry

Washington, D.C. – The leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Matt Cartwright, Sean Casten, Chellie Pingree, and Katie Porter, and Chair Emeritus Rep. Gerry Connolly, released the following statement after House passage of the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023 (H.R. 4468). This bill prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing light-duty vehicle emission standards and stifles American innovation.

“Today, House Republicans have chosen to remain stuck in the past rather than support American innovation. For 50 years, strong emission standards have driven U.S. manufacturers to develop more efficient technologies that safeguard the health of Americans. Today’s vote is a failure to ensure our American manufacturing sector can compete in the global vehicle market and a failure to protect the over 100 million Americans who are exposed to unhealthy air pollution.

“The so-called ’Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act’ blocks the EPA from ever finalizing vehicle emission standards in the future. EPA’s recently proposed multi-pollutant emissions standards for light-duty vehicles are expected to deliver trillions of dollars in benefits. These range from fewer premature deaths from air pollution to consumer savings averaging $12,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle. Despite all of this, House Republicans seek to legislate away years of American innovation in clean and efficient transportation at the cost of American lives.

“With their vote today, House Republicans denied not only the ability of American industry to innovate but also the irrefutable science behind the lethal health impacts of air pollution.”