MATSUI CONDEMNS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATTACK ON MONEY-SAVING FUEL-EFFICIENCY VEHICLE STANDARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) released the following statement in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) new proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that gut common-sense fuel efficiency standards for passenger vehicle model years 2022–2031.
“President Trump promised to lower costs for American families, but the Trump Administration is working hard to make sure Americans are paying more at the pump,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “For decades, fuel efficiency standards have reduced the cost of filling up the tank, but in yet another reckless and misguided attack on the American middle class, the Trump Administration is rolling back these standards, ensuring it costs American families more to get from point A to point B.”
“Once again, President Trump and Republicans are choosing to boost profits for oil and gas CEOs, rather than bring down costs for the average American,” Matsui continued. “Killing the fuel-efficiency standards is a lose-lose-lose situation: losing out on $84 billion in total savings, losing out on 50.4 miles per gallon in fuel efficiency by 2031, and losing out to our foreign competitors who are rapidly innovating in more efficient vehicle technologies. It is becoming clearer by the day just how far the Trump Administration will go to renege on their promise of lowering costs for the American people.”
Since 1975, CAFE fuel efficiency standards have saved American drivers thousands of dollars in fuel costs. The current existing standards were expected to save Americans more than $84 billion in fuel costs and other health benefits. However, the Trump Administration’s new proposed CAFE standards would not only rollback the existing standards; they would also end fuel-efficiency credits that help lower the cost of manufacturing electric vehicles—yet another thinly veiled attack on EVs.
This follows Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill, which eliminated penalties for automakers that fail to comply with fuel-efficiency standards. This means there’s effectively no requirement to follow the standards at all. The “standards” aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. It’s a one-two gut punch directly to Americans’ wallets.
Congresswoman Matsui has been a leading voice in the fight for clean air and serves as Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC). She has consistently advocated for stronger vehicle pollution standards, fought to preserve California’s Clean Air Act waiver, championed the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, and pushed for ambitious clean vehicle deployment. In September, she led over 100 lawmakers in opposing the rollback of EPA emission standards.
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