Utah Valley Times

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has joined a group of 120 colleagues in calling for the withdrawal of the Biden Administration's proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Led by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), along with U.S. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI), Romney and his fellow lawmakers sent a letter to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman expressing their concerns.

In the letter, the lawmakers stated their deep concern with the proposed CAFE standards, which they believe are a part of the Biden Administration's attempt to impose its climate agenda on American families. The proposed standards would require automakers to more than double average fleet-wide fuel economy in less than 10 years, effectively mandating the mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) and phasing out gas-powered cars and trucks.

The lawmakers argue that Americans should have the ability to choose the vehicle that best fits their needs and budget, rather than having the federal government dictate what they can and cannot drive. They believe that the proposed standards would raise costs, restrict consumer choice, harm U.S. businesses, and degrade energy and national security. They also express concerns about handing the keys of the automotive industry over to foreign adversaries, particularly China.

"The proposal issued in July is mere virtue signaling for this Administration's extreme climate agenda, but it would actually have only limited impact on emissions while strengthening foreign adversaries and harming American workers and consumers," the lawmakers concluded in their letter.

They strongly urge the NHTSA to drop its attempt at central planning and instead put forth a workable proposal that complies with the law and better serves the American people.

This call for the withdrawal of the proposed CAFE standards comes as the Biden Administration aims to address climate change and promote the adoption of electric vehicles. However, critics argue that these standards would have limited impact on emissions while imposing significant costs on consumers and businesses.

The full letter can be read [here](link).

It is important to note that Senator Romney's stance aligns with his Republican colleagues who have been skeptical of the Biden Administration's climate agenda.