Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) spoke on the House Floor on H.J.Res.88. Dingell’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.
See a video of her remarks here.
Thank you, M. Speaker.
I rise today in opposition to H.J.Res.88.
As a staunch defender of Michigan’s auto industry — the backbone of the American economy — and someone who cares deeply about the environment, I do not take this vote lightly. I have spoken to all the stakeholders involved multiple times.
I believe in preserving consumer choice, maintaining American leadership in innovation, defending the future of domestic manufacturing, and protecting the environment. These are not mutually exclusive.
Michigan, and the United States, put the world on wheels, and now, we are leading the transition to the next generation of vehicles.
We cannot afford to cede that leadership to our adversaries. I will remind my colleagues that it wasn't that long ago when gasoline prices went up and American consumers wanted smaller cars, Japanese carmakers flooded our market with smaller vehicles, caught our domestic industry flat-footed, and U.S. manufacturers paid the price for a decade.
We must innovate, adapt, and build vehicles competitively here at home. The global marketplace wants EVs, hybrids, and internal combustion engines.
To lead globally, we must accelerate the manufacturing of cleaner vehicles in a practical, affordable, and inclusive way. That means building out EV charging infrastructure, keeping hybrids and plug-in hybrids available, and ensuring affordability, which is becoming one of the biggest issues in this country. Especially when competing with at least one country where the government subsidizes manufacturing, uses forced labor, and manipulates currency.
We cannot cede our leadership to China or any other country. This also means investing in advanced manufacturing, securing domestic battery supply chains, and protecting the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic EV investments.
California’s Advanced Clean Cars 2 program would impose EV sales mandates across nearly 30 percent of the U.S. market. While that may work for California, it isn’t working in some other states.
Let me be clear: this is not the time to ban gas-powered vehicles. CARB and Governors must be able to adjust these programs if market conditions change. Maryland Governor Wes Moore recently did just that, easing compliance enforcement.
I share concerns about consumer choice, but this Congressional Review Act resolution has serious legal flaws. The Government Accountability Office and the Senate Parliamentarian both ruled that these waivers are not subject to the CRA. Proceeding sets a dangerous precedent.
Misusing the CRA today could open the door to striking down a wide range of federal programs tomorrow, including Medicaid waivers, which worries me greatly. I don't sleep at night on that one.
We are here today because some states have adopted stricter rules that could ban new gas-powered vehicles by this summer. I support the EV transition, but we are simply not there yet.
For model year 2026, ACC 2 states would require 35 percent of new car sales to be a mix of electric or hybrid, yet the national average is still around 10 percent. That jumps to 68 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035. For most states, this is not realistic today.
We need all stakeholders at the table — labor, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, environmental groups, and consumers — to work together for the American people, and figure it out so we stay competitive in a global marketplace, meet consumer demand, take care of the environment, sell affordable cars, and keep manufacturing in this country.
This resolution would be unprecedented federal overreach. While I disagree with California’s timeline, I also disagree with misusing the CRA to address it.
If we’re serious about American leadership, EVs must be in our portfolio. I remain committed to protecting American jobs, expanding consumer choice, and ensuring U.S. leadership in global automotive innovation.
The American people sent us here to solve problems. Let’s stop wasting time on illegitimate messaging CRAs and work together to support innovation, build out the infrastructure, and ensure access to affordable, American-made vehicles — whether gas-powered, hybrid, or electric.
Let's work together for our country. With that, I will be voting 'no'.
Thank you, M. Speaker, and I yield back.
