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WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to prevent the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from enforcing a rule that would set higher standards for emissions from trucks and buses, which would cost truckers and bus drivers thousands of dollars to make their vehicles compliant with such regulations.

“Truckers support the backbone of our economy. Congress must stop Pres. Biden’s green-at-any-cost agenda before it crushes America’s trucking industry and magnifies supply chain problems. Louisiana families can’t afford more woke ‘help’ from the Biden administration,” said Kennedy.

“The Biden Administration is saddling the trucking industry with an onerous regulation that would jack up vehicle costs and hurt good paying jobs. This aggressive EPA rule—which will hit mom and pop truck operations the hardest—is also ineffective because it incentivizes operators to keep using older, higher-emitting trucks for longer. During a period of high inflation and supply chain disruptions, the last thing this country needs is more expensive freight costs and fewer truckers. I am proud to be leading a large coalition of my colleagues to push back against the Biden Administration’s obsession with excessive climate regulations,” said Fischer.

Background:

• The EPA finalized its rule on new emission standards for heavy duty vehicles on December 20, 2022. The rule will go into effect on March 27, 2023.
• The rule’s new standards cover nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants including particulate matter, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. The rule also would change requirements for emission control systems and emission-related warranties.
• The EPA estimated the technology required to meet the new rule’s standards will cost between $2,568 and $8,304 per vehicle. Existing regulations on trucks have already resulted in a decrease in nitrogen oxide emissions between 98% and 99% compared to models from the late 1990s.

Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also cosponsored the resolution.