Americans are under attack again.  This time, the state of California asked the Biden Administration to approve its rule that bans the sale of vehicles that run on gas by 2035.

Despite the goals of sustainability, there is a practical problem with this: the average transaction price of an electric vehicle is $17,000 more than a gas-powered car.  While there has been progress on the EV technology, they underperform compared to their gas-powered counterparts in their ranges they can travel.  In fact, they lose 40 percent of their range in cold weather.  These vehicles are not the pot of gold as the activists seem to think, as a typical EV needs to be driven between 28,069 and 68,160 miles before netting any environmental benefit.

This gas-car ban also benefits China.  While we have an abundance of resources in the United States, producing enough oil to go energy independent and not rely on other nations, we are still reliant on China for other critical minerals for EV batteries - like cobalt and graphite.  Reducing emissions is a good goal, but it will undoubtedly put American car industries to rely on the terms set by China.

The reality is this: a whopping 99 percent of Americans rely on internal combustion engines for their commutes.  It’s tough to worry about emissions if you can’t afford to drive to work, and it’s tough to push for America to be electrified in a way that our electric grid could support.  Protecting the environment is an important goal, but it has to be done in a responsible way that doesn’t saddle families with payments they can’t afford.

This gas-car ban also benefits China.  While we have an abundance of resources in the United States, producing enough oil to go energy independent and not rely on other nations, we are still reliant on China for other critical minerals like cobalt and graphite.  Reducing emissions is a good goal, but it will undoubtedly put American car industries to rely on the terms set by China.

The reality is this: with a whopping 99 percent of Americans relying on internal combustion engines for their commutes.  It’s tough to worry about emissions if you can’t afford to drive to work, and it’s tough to push for America to be electrified in a way that our electric grid cannot support.  Protecting the environment is an important goal, but it has to be done in a responsible way that doesn’t saddle families with payments they can’t afford.

That is why the House Republicans today passed the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, which ensures that no state can arbitrarily limit the choices that Americans have when selecting the vehicle that best meets their needs.

The government does not get to be the backseat driver and weigh in on the choices that are up to Americans to make.  I will continue to make sure the federal government does not get to dictate the financial choices you should make for yourself.