Both New Hampshire senators voted against a resolution ending California’s ban on the sale of gas-powered cars, giving the Granite State delegation an 0-4 record on the issue.
The GOP-controlled Senate passed the resolution Thursday over nearly unanimous Democratic opposition, including Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen. (Michigan’s Sen. Elissa Slotkin was the sole Democrat to support the resolution.)
The same resolution passed the House earlier this month with the support of 35 House Democrats, but Reps. Maggie Goodlander and Chris Pappas were both “no” votes.
Once President Donald Trump signs the resolution into law, the EPA waiver will be revoked. California’s policy would mandate that only electric vehicles could be sold in the state as of 2035.
None of the four Democrats would respond to questions about their support for California’s ban on gas-powered cars.
Advocates for free markets and consumer choice praised the Senate vote.
“We applaud the legislators in the Senate and the House for using the Congressional Review Act to stop California and its blue state allies from banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035,” said Daren Bakst with the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “Eleven states and D.C. had already agreed to follow California’s lead, and, practically, these actions would have had a national effect.”
Among those 11 states are Massachusetts and Vermont.
In New Hampshire, electric vehicles make up less than one percent of the registered vehicles in the state. And despite billions in taxpayer subsidies at the federal and state levels, they still make up less than two percent of vehicle registrations nationwide. Advocates for green climate policy see mandates as a necessary tool to get Americans out of gas-powered cars and into zero emissions vehicles.
American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle rejects that approach.
“Unelected people in California and the Biden administration abused the Clean Air Act waiver process to try and force a backdoor EV mandate. With President Trump’s anticipated signature, he and the Republicans in Congress will finally put an end to a decades-long quest by the fringe left to force people out of their cars.”
Support for EV mandates is even softening in deep-blue Massachusetts. Gov. Maura Healey has pledged to lead her state to net-zero emissions and a ban on gas-powered cars. Last month, the Healey administration announced it is granting “enforcement discretion” for auto manufacturers that are unable to meet zero-emission vehicle sales requirements due to sluggish sales.
Some Senate Democrats linked their opposition to a ruling from the parliamentarian that the resolution didn’t fall under the Congressional Review Act because it wasn’t overturning a regulation but a waiver issued by the Biden administration. The CRA allows the Senate to overturn agency rules with a simple majority, avoiding the filibuster.
In response, Republicans took a series of votes adjusting Senate rules to avoid a conflict with the parliamentarian. Democrats weren’t buying it.
“On this vote, the Republicans will be breaking their commitment and will be going nuclear, and however they try to disguise their actions, this is nuclear, no ands, ifs or buts,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “They will not like it the next time they are in the minority.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta plans to sue, challenging the way the Senate passed its resolution.
Critics say banning consumers from buying gas-powered cars violates the Live Free or Die ethos of New Hampshire.
“This vote isn’t just about cars — it’s about preserving freedom, mobility, and convenience for American families. California’s terrible approach to energy and transportation policy should not become the country’s burden to bear,” Pyle said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story failed to note that one Senate Democrat, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, supported the resolution. We regret the error.
