[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 130 (Wednesday, August 1, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 42--SUPPORTING AMERICA'S CLEAN CAR 
  STANDARDS AND DEFENDING STATE AUTHORITY UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ACT TO 
           PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS FROM HARMFUL AIR POLLUTION

  Ms. HARRIS (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Carper, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Coons, 
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Smith, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Reed, Mr. Udall, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. 
Baldwin, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Casey, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
Booker, Mr. Leahy, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Nelson) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works:

                            S. Con. Res. 42

       Whereas Congress enacted the Clean Air Act, requiring the 
     Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set standards 
     controlling air pollutant emissions from motor vehicles and 
     preventing the endangerment of public health and welfare;
       Whereas Congress enacted section 209 of the Clean Air Act 
     allowing the State of California to set vehicle emissions 
     standards that meet or exceed Federal emission regulations;
       Whereas Congress enacted section 177 of the Clean Air Act 
     to allow States besides California to adopt California's 
     stronger standards in lieu of Federal requirements;
       Whereas the EPA has authority under the Clean Air Act to 
     regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vehicles;
       Whereas the States of California, Connecticut, Delaware, 
     Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, 
     Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have 
     elected to set vehicle emissions standards that are more 
     stringent than otherwise applicable Federal vehicle emission 
     standards and can do so based on principles of cooperative 
     federalism pursuant to the Clean Air Act;
       Whereas Congress enacted the Energy Policy and Conservation 
     Act and the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act (42 U.S.C. 6201 et 
     seq.), requiring the Administrator of the National Highway 
     Traffic Safety Administration to set maximum feasible 
     corporate average fuel economy standards with the ultimate 
     goal of promoting energy savings and reducing oil 
     consumption;
       Whereas Congress enacted legislation requiring the National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set Corporate 
     Average Fuel Economy Standards with the ultimate goal of 
     promoting energy savings and reducing oil consumption;
       Whereas the Federal Government, the State of California, 
     and the auto industry agreed to a coordinated set of 
     regulations, called the One National Program, that aligned 
     these light-duty vehicle GHG emissions and fuel economy 
     standards as closely as possible and set achievable standards 
     of increasing stringency through model year 2025;
       Whereas the EPA, together with the National Highway Traffic 
     Safety Administration and the California Air Resources Board, 
     collaborated on extensive analysis that clearly demonstrated 
     that the existing standards are technically feasible and can 
     be met at reasonable cost;
       Whereas in January 2017, the EPA issued a final 
     determination to maintain the existing GHG emissions 
     standards for vehicles of model years 2022 through 2025, 
     based on the extensive technical record showing the standards 
     are appropriate and achievable;
       Whereas the administration must adhere to cooperative 
     federalism principles by meeting with key State stakeholders 
     before impacting their State goals on emissions and public 
     health;
       Whereas America's light-duty vehicle GHG emissions and fuel 
     economy standards support over 288,000 auto manufacturing 
     jobs across 1,200 facilities in the United States;
       Whereas America's light-duty vehicle GHG emissions and fuel 
     economy standards are keeping United States auto companies 
     competitive globally and protecting American consumers from 
     dirtier and more costly technology, as other countries adopt 
     strict clean car policies;
       Whereas transportation has now surpassed the energy sector 
     as the largest source of GHG emissions in the United States;
       Whereas America's light-duty vehicle GHG emissions and fuel 
     economy standards, if fully implemented through model year 
     2025, will--
       (1) reduce American consumption of oil by 2,400,000 barrels 
     per day;
       (2) save American consumers $130,000,000,000 at the pump by 
     2030; and
       (3) reduce GHG emissions by 470,000,000 metric tons by 
     2030;

       Whereas America's light-duty vehicle GHG emissions and fuel 
     economy standards protect low-income communities and 
     communities of color from disproportionate public health and 
     economic burden; and
       Whereas 87 percent of Americans support maintaining strong 
     clean car standards and want automakers to continue to 
     improve fuel economy for all types of vehicles: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the existing One National Program, agreed to 
     with State stakeholders, with the goals of reducing GHG 
     emissions and oil usage, protecting national security, and 
     protecting human health and welfare; and
       (2) supports policies to achieve that goal that will--
       (A) achieve maximum feasible oil use reductions and reduce 
     GHG emissions from mobile sources;
       (B) recognize the rights and importance of States in 
     cooperative federalism to set and follow stronger vehicle 
     emissions standards under the Clean Air Act if they so 
     choose; and
       (C) ensure the administration, Department of 
     Transportation, and Environmental Protection Agency solicit 
     input from State parties impacted by any changes to the 
     existing GHG emissions standards for light-duty vehicles and 
     the associated standards for corporate average fuel economy.

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