Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has initiated a complex procedural strategy in the U.S. Senate to address California’s electric vehicle mandate. This maneuver seeks to circumvent a direct confrontation with the Senate parliamentarian over the applicability of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) concerning the mandate, reflecting a broader Republican effort to challenge California’s push to eliminate new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035.
Thune’s strategy revolves around using an unrelated joint resolution to question whether Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers for California’s EV mandate can be subject to CRA disapproval. While Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), argue against CRA applicability to these waivers, Thune’s approach aims to sidestep the parliamentarian’s guidance by garnering Senate consensus through procedural votes. This tactic averts the contentious option of overruling the parliamentarian, appealing to moderate Republicans uneasy with breaking Senate conventions.
The divide is stark, with Republicans aiming to assert Senate prerogative over procedural questions and Democrats viewing the move as an attempt to undermine California’s environmental objectives. This strategy highlights deeper ideological clashes over federalism and environmental regulation, reflecting an ongoing battle in legislative circles about the future of emissions control and fossil fuel reliance. The outcome of this maneuver could set a significant precedent for future environmental policies.
