Senate voted 51–44 on May 22, 2025, to revoke California’s longstanding authority to set its own vehicle emissions standards—effectively targeting the state’s plan to phase out new gasoline

Senate Vote Jeopardizes California’s Electric Vehicle Mandate: What’s at Stake

In a controversial and unprecedented move, the U.S.

Senate voted 51–44 on May 22, 2025, to revoke California’s longstanding authority to set its own vehicle emissions standards—effectively targeting the state’s plan to phase out new gasoline-powered car sales by 2035.

This action, if finalized, could significantly hinder the nation’s largest state-led climate policy.

What Happened?The Senate’s decision used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waiver that had previously allowed California to enforce stricter emissions standards than the federal government.

This same waiver empowered California to push forward its ambitious electric vehicle (EV) goals in an effort to reduce air pollution and combat climate change.

A Legally Dubious StrategyThe move has drawn criticism from legal experts and government watchdogs. Both the Senate parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office have argued that the CRA does not apply to EPA waivers granted to states.

Despite this, the Senate overrode the parliamentarian’s guidance—an extraordinary step that has rarely been taken in the chamber’s history.

What’s Next?President Donald Trump is expected to sign the resolution into law, aligning with his administration’s broader push to scale back environmental regulations.

However, California officials aren’t backing down. Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have pledged to challenge the decision in court, calling it a direct attack on state authority and environmental policy under the Clean Air Act.

Why It MattersCalifornia’s emissions standards have long set the bar for other states. Sixteen other states follow California’s lead, meaning this Senate decision could ripple far beyond the Golden State. At stake is not just California’s electric car mandate but the broader principle of state-led climate action.

As the legal battle looms, the future of clean vehicle policy in America hangs in the balance. Will federal intervention roll back hard-won environmental progress—or will the courts uphold California’s right to lead?

Stay tuned. The road ahead promises to be a pivotal one.

Read more on CalMatters:https://calmatters.org/environment/2025/05/california-electric-car-mandate-senate-revoke-waiver