California Set to Sue US Senate for Blocking EV Mandate

The US Senate voted to repeal a Biden-era waiver that enabled California to mandate electric vehicles (EVs) by setting stricter emission standards than existing federal regulations. California is set to sue over the decision.

The Details: The waiver allowed California to phase out gasoline-powered cars and require new vehicle sales to be zero-emission by 2035. The Senate introduced the resolution to repeal the waiver under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). It was passed by the US House in April and will require a signature from President Donald Trump.

State Lawsuit: Gov. Gavin Newsom (CA) and Attorney Gen. Rob Bonta announced Thursday that they would be filing a state lawsuit against senators who blocked the mandate. Newsom argued that the CRA does not apply to the state’s waiver, making the repeal “illegal.” 

For Context: While in office, former President Joe Biden finalized significant rules to reduce vehicle emissions. Critics argued these rules alone effectively mandated EVs because automakers couldn’t meet the rules’ standards by selling gasoline-powered cars. 

How The Media Covered It: Just the News (Lean Right bias) focused on the perceived overreach of the Biden administration and California’s stricter emission standards, presenting the Senate's decision as a check on the overreach. It reported that eleven states and Washington D.C. have adopted California's regulations, while CBS News (Lean Left) reported the number as sixteen. CBS emphasized California's attempts to fight climate change and potential downsides to revoking the state's emission standards. The outlet also highlighted the argument that the CRA does not apply to the waiver and stated that the GOP and Trump administration are “target[ing] California’s emission rules.” Wall Street Journal (Center) gave voice to both support and opposition to the resolution. While one article stated that the resolution was “effectively killing the country’s biggest driver of EV investment,” another focused on General Motors lobbying to reverse the “aggressive” mandate.

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