In House floor remarks on Wednesday, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) decried a GOP resolution to express disapproval for California state motor vehicle and engine pollution control standards.
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00:00Thank you Mr. Speaker. As a staunch defender of Michigan's auto industry, the backbone, still the backbone of the American economy, and someone who cares deeply about the environment, I do not take this vote lightly.
00:15I have spoken to all the stakeholders involved multiple times. I believe in preserving consumer choice, maintaining American leadership and innovation, defending the future of domestic manufacturing, and protecting the environment. These are not mutually exclusive.
00:39Michigan and the United States put the world on wheels, and now we are leading in the transition to the next generation of vehicles. We cannot afford to cede that leadership to our adversaries.
00:54I will remind my colleagues that in my lifetime, it wasn't that long ago, when gasoline prices went up and American consumers wanted smaller cars, Japanese automakers flooded our markets with smaller vehicles, caught our domestic auto industry flat-footed, and U.S. manufacturers paid the price for that for a decade.
01:17We must innovate, adapt, and build vehicles competitively here at home. The global marketplace wants EVs, hybrids, and internal combustion engines.
01:32To lead globally, we must accelerate the manufacturing of cleaner vehicles in a practical, affordable, and inclusive way.
01:42That means building out EVs, charging infrastructure, keeping hybrids and plug-in hybrids available, and assuring affordability, which is becoming one of the biggest issues in this country, especially when we are competing with at least one other country where the government subsidizes the manufacturing, uses forced labor, and manipulates its currency.
02:06We cannot cede our leadership to China or any other country.
02:11This also means investing in advanced manufacturing, securing domestic battery supply chains, and protecting the Inflation Reductions Act historic EV investments.
02:23California's Advanced Clean Cars 2 program would impose EV sales mandates across nearly 30% of the U.S. market.
02:33While that may work for California, it isn't working in some other states.
02:38Let me be clear.
02:40This is not the time to ban gas-powered vehicles.
02:44Carbon Governors must be able to adjust these programs if market conditions change.
02:51Maryland Governor Westmore recently did just that, easing compliance enforcement, and consumers in these other 13 ZEV mandate states need to be able to adjust.
03:02And CARP needs to pay attention.
03:07I also share concerns about consumer choice.
03:11But this Congressional Review Act resolution has serious legal flaws.
03:17The Government Accountability Office and the Senate Parliamentarian both ruled that these waivers are not subject to the CRA.
03:25Proceeding sets a dangerous precedent.
03:29Misusing the CRA today could open the door to striking down a wide range of federal programs tomorrow, including Medicaid waivers, which worries me greatly.
03:41I don't sleep at night on that one.
03:44We are here today because some states have adopted stricter rules that could ban new gas-powered vehicles by this summer.
03:52I support the EV transition, but we are not simply there yet.
03:58For model year 2026, ACC2 states would require 35% of new car sales to be a mix of electric or plug-in hybrid.
04:09Yet the national average is at about 10%.
04:13That requirement jumps to 68% by 2030 and 100% by 2035 for the ZEV mandate states.
04:23For most states, this is simply not realistic today.
04:27We need all the stakeholders at the table.
04:30Labor, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, consumers, the environmental groups,
04:36to work together for the American people.
04:40And figure it out.
04:42And figure it out right so that we stay competitive in a global marketplace
04:46and we meet consumer demands.
04:48That we take care of the environment and we sell affordable cars.
04:52And keep manufacturing in this country.
04:54This resolution would be unprecedented federal overreach.
04:58While I disagree with California's timeline, I also disagree with misusing the CRA to address it.
05:05If we're serious about Americans' leadership, EVs must be in our portfolio.
05:10I remain committed to protecting American jobs, expanding consumer choice,
05:15and ensuring U.S. leadership in global automotive innovation.
05:20The American people set us here to solve problems.
05:23Let's stop wasting time.
05:25Members, time has expired.
05:27Yield the gentleman another minute or two.
05:30Minute.
05:31Members, recognize for one more minute.
05:33Let's stop wasting time on illegitimate messaging CRAs and work together to support innovation,
05:40build out the infrastructure, ensure access to affordable American-made vehicles,
05:46whether gas-powered, hybrid, or electric.
05:49Let's work together for our country.
05:52With that, I will be voting no, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.