Washington, D.C. — Following announcements this week from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding new vehicle fuel economy standards and penalties on automakers, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) urged the administration to ease the burden for millions of Americans and stop its regulatory assault that’s handing the keys to America’s automotive industry over to China.  

“At a time when prices for new vehicles are at all-time highs, NHTSA’s new fuel economy standards will add even more to the price tag, depriving people of safe, affordable vehicles. These new penalties put an additional burden on manufacturers as well, which will ultimately be passed along to the hardworking people of this county. This is another part of President Biden's full regulatory assault to force Americans to buy unaffordable electric vehicles and cede our automotive future to China. 

“Increasing costs, limiting people’s choices, and decimating our energy independence is not a solution to beat China. If the Biden Administration is serious about road safety, affordability, and beating China, it should work to secure our supply chains, reduce regulatory burdens, and unleash American energy.” 

NOTE: On Thursday, the Committee held a full markup of several solutions to end the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) assault on the U.S. automotive industry and ensure Americans continue to have the ability to choose the vehicles and fuels that best serve their needs. 

NOTE: Earlier this week, the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce held a bipartisan hearing on the future for self-driving vehicles, where NHTSA declined to testify.