Maryland State Wire

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Republicans announced on X that President Trump has signed a resolution from Chairman Shelley Moore Capito blocking California's attempt to establish a nationwide electric vehicle mandate, making the measure law.

According to the Senate, President Trump signed a resolution under the Congressional Review Act that nullified the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) waiver granted to California for its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule. This rule aimed to phase out gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035. The resolution, introduced by Senator Shelley Moore Capito, effectively blocks California’s attempt to implement electric vehicle (EV) sales mandates that could influence national auto policy. This legislative move prevents the rule from taking effect and stops similar state-based regulations from being enforced under the same federal waiver authority.

As reported by Calmatters, California’s ACC II regulation would have required 35 percent of new vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2026, ramping up to 100 percent by 2035. Adoption by 12 other states was poised to follow. Electric vehicles currently represent about 25 percent of California’s new car sales, while their share remains around 7–8 percent nationally. Industry groups state that the mandate imposed cost burdens on consumers and manufacturers, especially in regions without strong EV demand or charging capacity.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after the resolution was signed into law, California, joined by ten other states, filed a lawsuit claiming the federal government cannot use the Congressional Review Act to revoke EPA waivers under the Clean Air Act. The lawsuit argues that overturning the ACC II waiver infringes on states’ rights to regulate air quality and threatens efforts to meet federal environmental standards. State officials also expressed concerns about the potential impact on public health outcomes, especially in areas where vehicle emissions are a major contributor to pollution.

Senator Capito is noted as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from West Virginia and has served since 2015 after winning re-election in 2020 with over 70% of the vote and carrying all 55 counties. Before her tenure in the Senate, she represented West Virginia’s 2nd District in the U.S. House for 14 years and served in the state legislature for four years. A member of several key Senate committees, including chairing the Environment and Public Works Committee, Capito emphasizes bipartisan solutions, infrastructure investment, and protecting West Virginia’s energy economy.