WC Wisconsin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Derrick Van Orden, along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, is urging the Biden administration to withdraw its proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. In a letter addressed to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman, the lawmakers expressed their concerns about the potential impact of the proposed standards.

According to the letter, the proposed CAFE standards would require automakers to more than double the average fleet-wide fuel economy within a span of less than 10 years. The lawmakers argue that these standards do not comply with federal law and effectively mandate the mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) while phasing out gas-powered cars and trucks.

"We write to express our deep concern with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's proposed CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks, which represent yet another attempt by this Administration to use the rulemaking process to impose its climate agenda on American families," the lawmakers stated in the letter.

The lawmakers also highlighted the potential negative consequences of the proposed standards, including increased costs, restricted consumer choice, harm to U.S. businesses, degradation of energy and national security, and the potential handing over of the automotive industry to foreign adversaries, particularly China.

"The proposal issued in July is mere virtue signaling for this Administration's extreme climate agenda, but it would actually have only limited impact on emissions while strengthening foreign adversaries and harming American workers and consumers," the letter concluded.

Congressman Van Orden voiced his concerns about the Biden administration's electric vehicle mandate, stating that it is out of touch with American consumers, current technology limits, and the capacity of the electric grid. He also highlighted the issue of child slavery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where cobalt is mined for electric vehicle batteries.

"Many Americans cannot afford an electric vehicle, and they are unreliable in cold weather states like Wisconsin. Additionally, I have been sounding the alarm for months on the use of child slaves in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to mine cobalt, a key mineral used to make lithium-ion batteries for EVs," Congressman Van Orden said.

The lawmakers are calling on the NHTSA to drop its attempt at central planning and instead propose a workable solution that complies with the law and better serves the American people.

The Biden administration's push for electric vehicles has faced criticism from various quarters. Critics argue that the mandate does not consider the affordability and reliability of electric vehicles, as well as the potential environmental and human rights impact of the minerals used in their production.

The full letter to NHTSA Deputy Administrator Shulman can be accessed by clicking [here](link).

In September 2023, Congressman Van Orden raised concerns about child slavery during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. The concerns centered around the use of child labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for cobalt mining, an essential mineral for electric vehicle batteries. A video of the meeting can be watched [here](link).

The lawmakers' letter and Congressman Van Orden's remarks highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the Biden administration's push for electric vehicles and the potential consequences it may have on American consumers, businesses, and national security. It remains to be seen how the administration will respond to these concerns raised by members of Congress.