WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kansas’ 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted last week against a Republican-sponsored bill designed to prevent states from banning gasoline-powered vehicles, as federal efforts ramp up to force America to adopt electric cars.
House Resolution 1435 is known as the “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.” It modifies an EPA waiver process currently allowed to states under the Clean Air Act that allows states to demand higher emissions control standards. HR 1435 would deny a state those waivers if that state’s new standards limited the sale or use of vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) and Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) pose for the 116th Congress members-elect group photo on the East Front Plaza of the U.S. Capitol in November 2018. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images)
In opposing the bill, Davids, a Democrat, joined those supporting gas engine bans already announced by nine states – California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington – who say they’ll prohibit the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The bill, sponsored by Pennsylvania Republican John Joyce, was supported by Kansas’ other three congressmen – Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann – all Republicans. Davids represents the 3rd District in Kansas, composed of Johnson, southern Wyandotte, Miami, Franklin and Anderson counties.
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The Review messaged both Davids and the Johnson County Democrat Party for comment on the vote. No email was received by press time Monday.
However critics were quick to jump on the connection between the vote on HR 1435 and Davids’ previous support of other petroleum industry restricting policies, in keeping with President Biden’s climate change agenda.
Delanie Bomar, spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Davids’ vote was in keeping with her voting bloc in congress supporting Democrat policies.
“Radical climate agenda – the pain is the point,” Bomar said. “Nothing will satisfy their unquenchable thirst for regressive punishment on Kansas families until they’ve regulated us back to the Stone Age.”
Biden has termed climate change an “existential threat” while declaring white supremacy “the most lethal terrorist threat in the homeland.”
Davids voted against the Lower Energy Costs Act (HR 1) in March of this year, a bill that would have expedited energy production projects in the U.S., eliminated or reduced certain fees related to developing federal energy resources and streamlined both imports and exports of energy in the U.S. Davids has been broadly criticized for a near lock step voting records with Biden on energy and most other issues.