President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a joint congressional resolution overturning California’s landmark plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 — a dramatic rollback of U.S. environmental policy.
The resolution also rescinds California’s stricter emissions standards for diesel trucks and heavy-duty vehicles, which had been upheld under waivers granted by the Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency.
The move sets the stage for a high-stakes legal battle over states’ rights — specifically, whether California can continue setting its own environmental standards under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
While the resolution targets California, its impact is national. As The Hill reports, automakers typically follow the strictest standards to streamline production — and California, which makes up about 12% of the U.S. auto market, has long set the benchmark for vehicle design and emissions compliance across the country:
California says its rule would benefit both public health and the environment, reducing both emissions that contribute to global warming and the amount of pollution its residents are exposed to. The state estimates that its rule would prevent nearly 1,300 cardiopulmonary deaths between 2026 and 2040.
California has already said that it would sue the Trump administration over the move, which Congress sent to the president after flouting its own internal arbiters.
The Biden administration approved California’s rule late last year, and that Biden-era approval is what is actually being revoked.
A law known as the Congressional Review Act (CRA) gives Congress, with presidential approval, the right to rescind recently passed regulations.
Key Points:
- Legislative Action: The resolution, approved by a 51-44 vote in the Senate and a 246-164 vote in the House, utilizes the CRA to revoke EPA waivers that allowed California to set more stringent vehicle emissions standards than federal regulations.
- Industry Support: Major automakers and industry groups, including General Motors, Toyota, and the National Automobile Dealers Association, have praised Trump’s move, citing the need for consistent national standards and concerns over the feasibility of meeting California’s ambitious targets.
- State Response: California officials, led by Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, have vowed to fight the resolution in court, arguing that it infringes upon the state’s rights under the CAA to implement measures addressing its unique air quality issues.
Nevertheless, by overturning the 2035 mandate and related emissions standards, the federal government is sending a clear message: national uniformity takes precedence over state-led climate initiatives.
Environmental advocates have called the move a step backward, while stakeholders across the auto industry are watching closely — weighing legal risks against long-term investment strategies.
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This ought to be an “interesting fight! Cali suing the Trump administration over something Congress did!
Far too many thing Cali does, just screws up the rest of the country!