August 7, 2019 - Washington—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.
“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.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) led the letters that were sent to Aston Martin, Fiat Chrysler, GM, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.
A total of 30 senators signed the letter. In addition to Senator Feinstein, 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.).
Full text of the letter to General Motors follows:
August 6, 2019
Ms. Mary T. Barra
Chairman and CEO
General Motors Company
300 Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI 48243
Dear Ms. Barra,
We call on you to join the recent agreement between California and Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW of North America to continue progress toward producing less polluting vehicles.
As representatives of states that signed the Nation’s Clean Car Promise, we believe that General Motors joining this agreement would save consumers money, reduce emissions, and provide regulatory certainty to the auto industry.
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.
As you know, in 2012, national emissions standards were agreed to for Model Years 2017-2025. In 2018, the Trump Administration proposed to roll back these standards and freeze them at 2020 levels through Model Year 2026. Last month, automakers representing 85% of the U.S. market asked the White House to work with California to develop a single national standard, warning of uncertainty in the market and the auto industry jobs at stake. While the White House has refused this request, four automakers engaged California in the development of a proposal that provides the regulatory certainty requested by automakers and defends state authority under the Clean Air Act.
We urge you to join this agreement, and we look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Thomas R. Carper
United States Senator
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
Edward J. Markey
United States Senator
Tammy Baldwin
United States Senator
Michael F. Bennet
United States Senator
Richard Blumenthal
United States Senator
Benjamin L. Cardin
United States Senator
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
Christopher A. Coons
United States Senator
Tammy Duckworth
United States Senator
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator
Kamala D. Harris
United States Senator
Mazie K. Hirono
United States Senator
Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator
Patrick Leahy
United States Senator
Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator
Christopher S. Murphy
United States Senator
Patty Murray
United States Senator
Jack Reed
United States Senator
Bernard Sanders
United States Senator
Brian Schatz
United States Senator
Tina Smith
United States Senator
Tom Udall
United States Senator
Chris Van Hollen
United States Senator
Elizabeth Warren
United States Senator
Sheldon Whitehouse
United States Senator
Ron Wyden
United States Senator
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein
Related: California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New York Attorney General Letitia James Sue Trump Administration for Cutting Penalties for Industry Violations of Fuel Efficiency Standards
