The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), responding to the scheduling of a U.S. Senate vote on S.J. Res. 45, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act waiver granted to California for the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, issued the following statement:

Soon, the Senate will arrive at a moment of truth for our nation: Do our lawmakers trust that people should and will decide which products, in this case motor vehicles, are best for their families? Or do our senators recklessly empower one state to eliminate personal choice, cripple the economy, and kill American jobs? California’s waiver does not just impact California; 11 states have signed on to follow California’s ACCII regulations, representing nearly 40% of the American population.

The stakes could not be higher when the Senate votes on a Congressional Review Act resolution for California’s EV mandate waiver. The automotive aftermarket industry will be deeply impacted by EV mandates and internal combustion engine bans. This is an industry made up of small businesses, 33% of which are ICE-vehicle dependent; the death of California’s waiver will give life to more than 330,000 American jobs and preserves over $100 billion of economic impact to the nation’s economy.

We expect our senators to show courage, resolve, and prudence by voting to stop the California waiver. We urge the Senate to view this CRA resolution on its merits, put partisan politics aside, and prevent California from deciding automotive policy for our nation.

Stop the lunacy. Protect vehicle choice. End the waiver.

BACKGROUND

SEMA represents the automotive aftermarket industry, a third of which are businesses that are entirely dependent on products for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. To enact an ICE vehicle ban through EV mandates would represent a significant hit to the nation's economy by causing irreparable harm to an industry that annually delivers a $337 billion economic impact and supports more than 1.3 million American jobs through domestic manufacturing and sales.

SEMA is not anti-EV; rather, it champions a technology-neutral approach that fosters innovation and ingenuity. The association will continue efforts to preserve Americans' rights to vehicle choice and the automotive aftermarket industry's ability to design, manufacture, and bring to market products that help solve the emissions challenge.

SEMA and a coalition of 335 small businesses from the automotive aftermarket in early April urged House of Representatives and Senate leadership to hold votes to put an immediate stop to the implementation of the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, SEMA, through its Driving Force Action SuperPAC, educated voters about the damaging impact of EV mandates, and the profound importance of empowering the automotive aftermarket to develop innovative solutions to carbon emissions using American ingenuity.

About SEMA

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,500 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates $52.3 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit www.sema.org.

Tagged: US Auto Industry

SEMA Statement on Scheduled Vote on California’s EV Mandate Waiver