President Donald Trump could soon sign into law a joint congressional resolution scrapping California's Environmental Protection Agency waiver that requires an end to gasoline-powered car sales by 2035. It's a move provoking pushback from Golden State leaders in Sacramento.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have argued that it is an illegal use of the Congressional Review Act, whereas Republicans, including state legislators, say the move is a necessary step toward curbing regulation in the state.
"I'm thankful that the folks in Washington, D.C., had common sense with something the governor doesn't have here in California," State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Thursday, adding that "people can't afford" a transition to electric vehicles.
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"We don't have enough energy capacity. The worst thing that can happen in California right now is everybody plugs in an electric car. We have rolling blackouts. We're talking about rolling blackouts just from the heat this summer, not alone adding millions and millions of cars that would add electric vehicles to it. And we don't have the infrastructure either," the Republican added, saying that he's glad "the federal government weighed in."
At a news conference on Thursday morning, Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they plan on suing the Trump administration, which they've done more than 20 times, over the likely move.
Part of the legal argument being made by the Golden State is that the House Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian said that a waiver does not technically count as a rule, which created a debate over what can be done under the Congressional Review Act, according to The Hill.
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Newsom said that the electric vehicle manufacturing market has made significant gains in California and that the state is a leader in "innovation" in wanting to pivot to electric, specifically citing air quality.
In the short term, the state is also facing concerns about rising gas prices with the expected closures of two California refineries, an issue the governor said he's been on top of to avoid issues.
When Fox News Digital asked Newsom whether he thinks rising prices would encourage consumers to switch to electric vehicles, he said that Californians are ultimately in the driver's seat.
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"I think that's up to consumers, but the cost benefits of electric vehicles are well-established and continue to be well-reinforced as it relates to uncertainties around supply chains, wars of aggression by Russia, and by the vagaries of the kind of political machinations you see in the Middle East and self-dealing that we see. We are simply hostages to decisions that are made without you talking about any input from taxpayers or citizens. I'd rather have a little bit more agency in this country as it relates to our energy future," Newsom added.
In Washington, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is touting his resolution's success.
"This is a bipartisan national repudiation of the utter insanity Newsom has inflicted on our state," he posted to X.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
