WASHINGTON, DC –President Donald Trump has signed legislation to reverse a radical California policy that would phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
Trump signed the legislation during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Thursday.
“I want to thank everybody for being here. We officially rescue the U.S. auto industry from destruction by terminating the California electric vehicle mandate once and for all,” Trump said to applause before signing the legislation.
“They’d pass these crazy rules in California, and…17 states would go by ’em, and the automakers didn’t know what to do, because they’re really building cars for two countries,” Trump added.
Trump and the newly enacted law are drawing praise from leaders of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API), while General Motors (GM) is also applauding the move.
“Today, common sense prevailed. We thank President Trump, EPA Administrator Zeldin, and congressional leadership for taking decisive action to end crippling, detached-from-reality rulemakings that would have imposed devastating economic consequences on American businesses and families,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.
“This is not the United States of California. With the stroke of his pen, President Trump is restoring the certainty that the trucking industry needs to deliver for our nation as we continue to reduce our environmental impact,” he added.
API President and CEO Mike Sommers hailed the signing as “a major victory for American consumers, manufacturers and U.S. energy security,” Fox News reported.
“We thank President Trump and Congress for delivering on their promise to put an end to these extreme mandates and ensure every American can choose the vehicle that’s best for them,” he said.
GM provided a statement on the legislation as well, according to the report.
“We appreciate the actions taken by President Trump to sign H.J. Res. 88 into law and help align emissions standards with today’s market realities,” a statement attributed to the company reads.
“We have long advocated for one national standard that will allow us to stay competitive, continue to invest in U.S. innovation, and offer customer choice across the broadest lineup of and electric vehicles,” GM added.
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