Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Congress is using the Congressional Review Act to overturn a rule the Environmental Protection Agency submitted. If both chambers pass this joint resolution and the President signs it (or Congress overrides a veto), the rule is nullified and has no legal effect. After disapproval under the CRA, the agency is barred from issuing a substantially similar rule without new legislation from Congress.
California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Advanced Clean Cars II; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision (90 Fed. Reg. 642, January 6, 2025).
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Under the CRA, disapproval resolutions receive expedited consideration in the Senate and are not subject to a filibuster, so they require only a simple majority there; the joint resolution still requires passage by both chambers and the President's signature (or a veto override) to take effect.
This joint resolution, filed under the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 8), disapproves and nullifies the EPA rule granting California a waiver of preemption for its "Advanced Clean Cars II" motor vehicle and engine pollution control standards (90 Fed.
Reg. 642, Jan 6, 2025).
If enacted, the resolution would render that EPA notice of decision legally without force or effect.
Narrow and procedurally simple but highly partisan; success hinges on Congressional majority alignment and likely executive branch opposition.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a concise Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution that names the target rule and states the single operative consequence (that the rule shall have no force or effect).
Progressives emphasize climate and public-health harms from nullification.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize climate and public-health harms from nullification.
Likely strongly opposed.
This persona views the EPA waiver as enabling stronger state-level climate and public-health vehicle standards, and sees nullification as a rollback of emissions protections.
They would emphasize harm to emissions reduction goals and vulnerable communities.
Mixed and pragmatic.
This persona worries about regulatory fragmentation for automakers while valuing emissions reductions.
They would weigh industry compliance costs, federal-state balance, and prefer a clear, uniform federal standard instead of a CRA nullification fight.
Generally supportive.
This persona views the EPA waiver as allowing California to impose de facto national regulations, raising costs and reducing consumer choice.
Nullification is seen as protecting industry, interstate commerce, and limiting federal overreach via state actions that affect other states.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow and procedurally simple but highly partisan; success hinges on Congressional majority alignment and likely executive branch opposition.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize climate and public-health harms from nullification.
Narrow and procedurally simple but highly partisan; success hinges on Congressional majority alignment and likely executive branch oppositi…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a concise Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution that names the target rule and states the single operative consequence (that the rule shall have no force…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.