February 07, 2024

Manchin Leads Bipartisan Effort To Overturn Federal Highway Administration’s Unlawful, Impractical Emissions Rule

Washington, DC– Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced a bipartisan Congressional Review Act (CRA) Joint Resolution of Disapproval to nullify a November 2023 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rule that imposes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions performance measures on state departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), despite lacking the authority from Congress to do so.

“The FHWA’s GHG rule is yet another example of irresponsible federal overreach. This rule will cause serious economic damage to our transportation industries, especially in rural states like West Virginia with heavy freight traffic,” said Senator Manchin. “Let me be clear – the Administration does not have the authority to burden state DOTs with these radical emissions performance measures without Congressional direction. I’m proud to introduce this resolution of disapproval and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to oppose the FHWA’s unlawful and economically irresponsible power grab.”

In addition to Senator Manchin, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Thune (R-SD), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Scott (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Susan Collins (ME), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Ron Johnson (R-WI).

Representatives Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Sam Graves (R-MO) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill text can be found here.