Paul Tonko Accuses Trump Admin Of 'Illegally Freezing Billions Of Dollars' At DoT

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In remarks on the House floor last week, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) spoke about a resolution to overturn a California emissions regulation.

Transcript

00:00York is recognized.

00:01Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the gentleman from New Jersey yielding.

00:06I rise in opposition to this Congressional Review Act resolution.

00:10The American Lung Association recently issued its annual State of the Air report,

00:14which found that nearly one-half of all Americans are breathing unhealthy air.

00:20Despite all the progress that has been made since the enactment of the Clean Air Act,

00:24air pollution remains a major public health threat.

00:26And this is especially true in California, where over 90 percent of residents live in an area with poor air quality.

00:33Given this tremendous public health threat, California has taken the initiative,

00:38as it is clearly authorized to do in the law, to protect its residents,

00:43including through the Advanced Clean Car 2 program.

00:47We've gone over all of the reasons why the CRA is not applicable to this waiver,

00:52so I would like to focus on the specifics of the underlying rule.

00:56which will rapidly reduce tailpipe pollution from light-duty vehicles

01:01by increasing the percentage of new zero-emission vehicles sold in California to 100 percent in 2035.

01:09I would like to try to dispel some of the myths about this rule.

01:13First, it only applies to new vehicles.

01:16No one is requiring people to give up their existing vehicles.

01:19Second, it does not apply to used vehicles,

01:22so there will continue to be a robust secondary market for internal combustion engines.

01:28Third, I heard several Republican members express their support for hybrid vehicles at the Rules Committee.

01:35Under this standard, plug-in hybrid vehicles can account for a significant portion of sales requirements through 2035.

01:44Now, members also raised a litany of concerns about the performance of electric vehicles,

01:51that they don't have an adequate range,

01:53they don't perform well in cold climates, and they are too expensive.

01:58Well, as they are sharing those concerns,

02:02we have a Trump administration response that I'll talk about.

02:06We hear a lot of talk here today in this debate about executive overreach,

02:12primarily from the previous administration of President Biden.

02:16Well, I find it ironic that these complaints are coming

02:19while the Trump administration is actively working to undermine federal investments

02:25and programs to address these very issues.

02:28The Trump administration is illegally freezing billions of dollars at the Department of Transportation,

02:34intended to build out a network of charging stations which will reduce range anxiety

02:40and improve the convenience of EV ownership.

02:44The Trump administration has made the Department of Energy an unwelcoming place to work,

02:49resulting in 3,500 public servants leaving the agency

02:53responsible for supporting R&D funding to improve battery technology.

02:59Well, talk about overreach by the executive branch.

03:03There it is.

03:04Improvements to batteries will allow for greater range,

03:07improved performance, and lower cost.

03:10It has been very publicly reported that the majority is considering repeal of consumer incentives

03:16that reduce the upfront cost of EVs,

03:19all while giving people a choice, a clear choice of what vehicle to purchase.

03:25Of course, EVs, after the upfront cost,

03:28are proven to save consumers considerably through reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

03:35And even that upfront cost is quickly approaching parity with internal combustion vehicles,

03:41as more and more activity is existing out there with the manufacturers globally.

03:47If members were truly concerned about the cost of vehicles,

03:50they would speak out about President Trump's reckless tariffs,

03:55which are expected to raise the cost of all vehicles,

03:59EVs and internal combustion engines alike.

04:03Finally, Republicans have suggested that the EV transition plays right into China's hands.

04:09The reality is that the market, both in the United States and globally,

04:14is heading down a clean vehicle path.

04:17And at this moment, China has emerged as the global leader.

04:20The gentleman's time has expired.

04:22I yield to the gentleman an additional minute.

04:25Another minute has been yielded.

04:26I thank the gentleman from New Jersey.

04:29At the moment, China has emerged as the global leader,

04:31but its long-term dominance of the global EV market is not guaranteed.

04:37Here's what I know for certain.

04:38If we do not compete,

04:40China benefits and will control those global supply chains.

04:43But if we embrace this transition,

04:45we will give America's automakers and innovators

04:48a great opportunity to win the competition in clean vehicles.

04:52The bottom line is that every turn,

04:54the Trump administration is sabotaging all efforts

04:57to build a domestic EV and battery manufacturing industry.

05:00And the attack on California's right

05:02to put forward more protective standards

05:04is part of that effort.

05:05So I urge members to reject this resolution

05:07to allow California to make the decisions it needs

05:10to protect the health of its residents

05:13and allow our entire country to have a better chance

05:16to create jobs and compete to dominate

05:18for the future of the automotive industry.

05:21With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time.

05:23And I yield back to the gentleman from New Jersey.

05:26Gentleman yields back.

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