Veto Expected After Congress Rescinds EPA Emissions Rule
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A proposal to roll back federal emission standards associated with heavy-duty commercial vehicles advanced to President Joe Biden, who has vowed to veto the legislation.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue on the nation鈥檚 borrowing authority with the deadline fast approaching.听The is estimated to be reached June 1.
The voted 221- 203 on a joint resolution to block a rule designed to reduce trucking emissions. The chamber鈥檚 approval May 23 cleared the measure for the president鈥檚 consideration.
Specifically, the Republican-led legislative effort would invalidate an agency rule initiated at the start of the year that sets standards for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides linked to medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
叠颈诲别苍听
Republicans commenced this legislative process in February and argued the new emission standards would result in an increase in trucking operational costs.
鈥淭he EPA鈥檚 own estimates say their emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks could cost more than $8,000 per semi-truck,鈥 the GOP leadership of the stated shortly after the vote. 鈥淭his will jack up prices for everything transported by truck, including food, clothing, building materials. The American people can鈥檛 afford this regulation and it鈥檒l force small operators [to] close up shop, which will wreak havoc across our supply chains.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 glad to see the House pass our legislation to stop this aggressive Biden regulation because every American consumer will feel the effects of this rule and its price increases,鈥 said , the measure鈥檚 key sponsor.
Every American consumer will feel the effects of this rule and its price increases.
Sen. Deb Fisher (R-Neb.)
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She continued: 鈥淩aising costs and driving truckers out of business isn鈥檛 just bad for the transportation sector, it would be devastating for an economy still reeling from the impacts of inflation. I encourage President Biden to reevaluate his misguided veto threat and sign this bipartisan bill into law.鈥
Prior to the House vote, the Senate had passed the measure by a 50-49 vote. joined with the unified group of Republicans.
鈥淭he last couple of years have shown that truck drivers keep our country moving. However, the Biden administration wants to burden the trucking industry with oppressive regulations that will increase prices by thousands of dollars and push truck drivers and small trucking companies out of business,鈥 the senator from West Virginia said in explaining his vote.
惭补苍肠丑颈苍听
During the Senate鈥檚 consideration of the measure, Biden announced his intention to proceed with a veto. A statement by the White House鈥檚 budget division indicated, 鈥淗eavy-duty vehicles and engines contribute to pollutants that threaten public health. Over time, the final rule will prevent hundreds of premature deaths, thousands of childhood asthma cases, and millions of lost school days every year for the tens of millions of Americans who live, work and go to school near roadways with high truck volume, including truck freight routes.鈥
Various stakeholders, including , have pushed back on certain administration efforts related to emissions.
厂辫别补谤听
鈥淥ur industry has always found ways to partner with EPA on regulations that are tough but achievable. If EPA wants us to remain a willing participant, their going back and changing what was already agreed upon is not how to do it,鈥 said recently.
Meanwhile, the White House and congressional leaders have yet to arrive at a resolution pertaining to raising the federal debt ceiling. Principals involved in the negotiations have acknowledged a sense of urgency. pointed to June 1 as the estimated deadline for the federal government to reach its borrowing limit.
鈥淟et me tell the American public: I am not going to give up. We are not going to default. We are going to solve this problem,鈥 said May 24.
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