[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 37 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1057-S1058]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

  PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, 
   UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY 
  ADMINISTRATION RELATING TO ``WAIVER OF BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENTS FOR 
                   ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS''--VETO

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume legislative session and proceed to the consideration of the veto 
message with respect to S.J. Res. 38, which the clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       Veto message, a joint resolution (S.J. Res. 38) providing 
     for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, 
     United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal 
     Highway Administration relating to ``Waiver of Buy America 
     Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers''.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 2 
minutes prior to the vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I rise today in strong opposition to 
override President Biden's veto on S.J. Res. 38, a Congressional Review 
Act resolution to disapprove of the Biden administration's phase-in of 
``Buy American'' requirements for electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure.
  We continue to see almost daily reminders that our planet is on fire. 
Scientists tell us we are running out of time to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions and avoid the worst of the climate crisis. The world is 
looking to the

[[Page S1058]]

United States for leadership right here on this floor.
  If we override the veto of the President, Senator Rubio's resolution 
would undermine domestic production of EV chargers. This resolution 
would create greater uncertainty for our domestic EV charging industry, 
directly contradicting our goal of having this equipment made and 
assembled right here in America. That is why groups like the AFL-CIO 
and the United Steelworkers oppose the Rubio resolution. It would mean 
shipping jobs overseas instead of building our supply chain right here 
at home.
  This resolution would actually weaken ``Buy American'' requirements. 
It would result in more EV charging projects being built overseas, not 
less. It would undermine American workers and our Nation's ability to 
be global leaders in electric vehicles.
  Put simply, a vote to override the veto is a vote against American 
manufacturing of EV chargers.
  That is why I oppose this resolution and encourage my colleagues to 
do so as well. Thirty-five percent of our emissions in this country for 
global warming come from our mobile sources--35 percent. It is 
imperative we continue to work on that and go after that as our target.
  I yield the floor.


                          Vote on Veto Message

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Shall the joint resolution 
(S.J. Res. 38) pass, the objections of the President of the United 
States to the contrary notwithstanding?
  The yeas and nays are required under the Constitution.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is 
necessarily absent.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Wyoming (Mr. Barrasso) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran).
  The result was announced--yeas 50, nays 47, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 61 Leg.]

                                YEAS--50

     Blackburn
     Boozman
     Braun
     Britt
     Brown
     Budd
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagerty
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Lummis
     Manchin
     Marshall
     McConnell
     Mullin
     Murkowski
     Ricketts
     Risch
     Romney
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Schmitt
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Sinema
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Tuberville
     Vance
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--47

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Butler
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Fetterman
     Gillibrand
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hickenlooper
     Hirono
     Kaine
     Kelly
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lujan
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Ossoff
     Padilla
     Paul
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warnock
     Warren
     Welch
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Barrasso
     Moran
     Sanders
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Peters). On this vote the yeas are 50, the 
nays are 47.
  Two-thirds of the Senators voting, having not voted in the 
affirmative, the joint resolution under consideration fails to pass 
over the President's veto.

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