Every state and federal regulation that governs motor vehicle emissions or fuel standards would be eliminated under a bill filed this week by Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas.
The proposal, dubbed the “Fuel Emissions Freedom Act,” likely faces a steep climb to passage — even with Republicans in control of both houses of Congress.
But it’s a sign that congressional Republicans are growing increasingly bold in their attempts to erase pollution controls. Williams’ bill would strike an array of regulations including EPA tailpipe standards, the Transportation Department’s fuel economy standards and related state-level rules in California.
Congressional Republicans — often working in concert with President Donald Trump’s top environmental and transportation officials — have taken aim at all those regulations on an individual basis. They scored an early victory when Trump signed off on a resolution rolling back California’s latest round of car and truck regulations.
