30 Senators Asking Automakers to Join California Fuel-Economy Agreement in Defiance of Trump’s EPA

It will interesting to see if Republicans abandon their “States Rights” posture now that it is inconvenient.

Thirty senators yesterday called on 14 automakers to join the agreement reached last month between California and Ford, BMW, Volkswagen and Honda to maintain strict fuel-efficiency rules. The letters were sent to Aston Martin, Fiat Chrysler, GM, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.

“In the absence of an agreement between the Federal government and states, the California agreement is a commonsense framework that provides flexibility to the industry to meet tailpipe standards while also taking important steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on fuel for consumers,” the senators wrote.

In addition to Senator Feinstein (D-Calif), signatories included Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).