Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean-Going Vessels At...

A resolution to cancel an EPA waiver letting California force cargo ships to plug into shore power (cut emissions) while docked at California ports. Republicans said the rule costs billions, relies on technology that doesn't exist yet, and lets one state set national shipping policy. Democrats said ships already comply, the rule improves health near ports, and Republicans are just attacking California. Members mostly stayed on topic for once, though everyone managed to blame the other side for high gas prices.Written by GLM 5.3 Flash. Updated .

Official Congressional Record (opens in a new tab)

Brett Guthrie, KY

Republican

Linked statement

“I want to talk about this bill. I ask for immediate consideration of the bill.”
79% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1530, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 210) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean- Going Vessels At-Berth; Notice of Decision'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.

Brett Guthrie, KY

Republican
“California made a rule about tanker ships. It is expensive. It will make things cost more for people. I don't see good results from this rule. California is trying to set rules for the whole country. I want to overturn this rule. I want my colleagues to vote yes.”
69% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution led by Representative Vince Fong of California. It would overturn a Clean Air Act waiver allowing California to regulate tanker emissions while they are at berth in California ports. These expensive regulations on tanker ships, ports, utilities, and operators will undermine safety and the compliance costs, including installing electric charging equipment to power tanker ships, will be passed down to consumers and raise the price of all goods that move through California. Beyond the staggering costs, where is the meaningful, measurable decrease in emissions that proponents claim will follow? Yet again, California has attempted to set a national standard without demonstrating any benefits. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.J. Res. 210 to overturn the waiver and restore common sense in our environmental regulation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Doris O. Matsui, CA

Democrat
“I am against this bill. I don't think Republicans care about California. I think they want political points. Many ships come to California. They make a lot of pollution when they are here. This hurts people who live near the ports. Many of those people are poor and minorities. So this is also about treating people fairly. California wants to fix this. The solution is simple. Plug the ships in. Use electricity. This is not new. Many ships already do this. This helps people. It lowers cancer risk. It saves money on health care. It does not affect other states. Republicans are attacking this rule. I think they just want political points. I think they are playing games with people's lives.”
61% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.J. Res. 210. Once again, congressional Republicans are doing everything they can to harm the health of Californians for seemingly no other reason than to score political points. Large cargo ships and oil tankers are a major source of pollution for communities living and working around California's ports. More than 30 percent of all container cargo arriving in the U.S. passes through California's ports, and that is a lot of ships. When those ships dock at California's ports, they are running diesel generators day and night. That creates a lot of pollution, and that pollution has serious health impacts on the communities that live around our ports. Like many industrial areas, communities living around ports are often disadvantaged, minority communities who are overburdened with pollution from many different sources, so this is also an environmental justice issue. That is why California has taken commonsense steps to regulate pollution for large ocean-going vessels. The solution is very simple. We are not talking about some futuristic, science fiction technology. We just want to plug it in and run the ship on electricity supplied by the port. This is 100 percent feasible and, in fact, most industries are already in compliance. This simple solution is expected to reduce cancer risk in communities living near major ports by as much as 55 percent and save $2.3 billion in public health costs. California's regulations are saving lives. They are saving money. They are achievable and, most importantly, they don't impact any other States whatsoever. Once again, I have to wonder why are congressional Republicans attacking California's port pollution regulations other than to score points in a cynical, political game. It is playing with Californians' lives, and we won't stand for it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Vince Fong, CA

Republican
“I want this bill to pass. I sponsored it. California should not be able to make shipping more expensive for the whole country. California ports handle about 40% of all U.S. containers. So California rules affect everyone. In 2023, the EPA allowed California's CARB to make new rules for ships at their ports. There are three problems with this rule. First, the technology does not exist at the scale they demand. The ships need special equipment. But it is not available or feasible. Companies are fined about $50,000 per ship per day if they can't comply. Shippers are already paying hundreds of millions every time they dock in California. You can't force companies to use tech that doesn't exist yet. Second, this rule puts California's fuel supply at risk. California needs oil shipments by sea. Making it harder to operate in California ports makes fuel more expensive. Third, the costs get passed to consumers. CARB says it will cost about $2.3 billion through 2032. I want to stop this bad rule. We can protect the environment without making everything more expensive. This is about being practical and keeping things affordable. I want my colleagues to support my bill.”
41% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 210, my Congressional Review Act resolution because California should not be able to impose costly shipping mandates that drive up prices across the Nation, disrupt our supply chain, and put our energy security at risk. California ports handle roughly 40 percent of our Nation's containerized imports. When California raises the costs of moving goods, Americans across the country pay the price. In 2023, the Biden EPA approved a waiver allowing the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, an unelected body in California, to impose new mandates on vessels docked at California ports. There are three serious problems with this mandate. First, the technology and infrastructure needed to comply simply do not exist at the scale this mandate demands. Vessels are required to use State-approved emissions control technology, yet those technologies are not always commercially available or even feasible. Companies that don't comply face fines of approximately $50,000 per vessel per day. In fact, shippers right now are paying hundreds of millions of dollars each time they dock at a California port. You cannot mandate technology that does not exist at scale and then punish businesses for being unable to comply. Second, this mandate puts California's already vulnerable energy supply at greater risk. California relies on marine shipments of oil and petroleum products to help meet its fuel needs. Making it harder and more expensive to operate in California ports puts additional pressure on fuel supplies and drives prices even higher. Third, the costs don't stay with shipping companies. They ripple through the supply chain and ultimately reach American consumers. CARB estimates approximately $2.3 billion in compliance costs through 2032. My legislation is simple: Stop this unworkable mandate from driving up costs, disrupting our supply chain, and threatening California's energy security. We can protect our environment without putting our supply chains, energy security, and American families at risk. This is about common sense and affordability. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 210.

Doris O. Matsui, CA

Democrat
“I want to correct some false claims. My Republican colleague said the technology doesn't exist to meet California's new port rules. He said it would force ships to retire. That's not true. The compliance rate is projected to be 95% in 2025. Over 3,400 visits already use shore power. The industry can do this. The rule is achievable. His arguments are wrong.”
61% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I turn it over to my colleague from California, I will dispel some misinformation. My Republican colleague asserted that the technology needed to comply with California's at-berth amendments doesn't exist or that it will force ocean-going vessels into retirement and disrupt supply chains. However, would the compliance rate for 2025 be 95 percent if the technology was nonexistent? Of course not. The industry has proven that compliance with the standard is achievable and not forcing vessels into retirement. The reality is that over 3,400 vessel visits used shore-power technology, where the operator shuts off the vessel's auxiliary engines and switches to shore-side power to supply the electricity needs of the dock vessels. This is going to be very achievable, and all of the arguments put forth are moot. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Zoe Lofgren, CA

Democrat
“I'm speaking for all California Democrats. We are against this resolution. Republicans are wasting time. They should lower costs. Instead, they attack California. California has a big economy. We pay more taxes than we get back. They don't thank us. They try to stop us from protecting people's health. This resolution would make ships use expensive diesel. That doesn't help families struggling with prices. Trump's war caused high prices. Diesel is almost nine dollars a gallon. It's cheaper for ships to plug in. Only oil and gas companies would benefit. Also, the CRA process is illegal. A court said the EPA broke the law by submitting these waivers for CRA. The court ordered the EPA to fix it. But Republicans are ignoring the court order. California does well without Republicans interfering. Congress should vote no on this illegal resolution.”
65% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I rise on behalf of every member of that delegation to strongly oppose this resolution. We have got very few legislative days left in this Congress, and the Republican majority has decided to use time on the floor today not to lower costs that are crushing Americans but to once again pick a fight with California. Now, California has the fourth largest economy in the world. We are also a donor State that pays more in Federal taxes than we get back by about $806 billion a year. But rather than thank us, House Republicans are instead trying to undermine our ability to govern ourselves and protect the health of Americans. Now, what is the point of this resolution? How is encouraging ships to burn more expensive diesel going to help the families across America struggling with Trump's affordability crisis? The war of choice in Iran that the President initiated has caused prices to spike. The other day, I was driving by a gas station and saw diesel fuel at $8.99 a gallon. It is easier and cheaper for ships to plug in at the dock, and the only people who will benefit from this resolution are the oil and gas companies. Finally, there is the question of the legality of repealing these waivers under the Congressional Review Act. The administration resubmitted these waivers in order to designate them as rules to trigger the CRA. Now, the State of California sued, and a Federal court has ordered the EPA to withdraw or correct the reclassifications of all six Clean Air Act section 209 waiver orders that it submitted to Congress because EPA violated the law in labeling them as rules and submitting them to Congress for action under the CRA. In fact, just this last Saturday, September 12, the court ordered EPA to undo its illegal actions specifically with respect to these two maritime waivers after the judge learned they were about to come up for a vote. Republicans are ignoring the brand new direct order of the Federal court by continuing on with the CRAs. I will end with this. California's economy, the fourth biggest in the world, has done pretty well without D.C. Republicans meddling in its business. I think Congress should reject this illegal overreach and vote ``no'' on the resolution.

Kevin Kiley, CA

Independent
“I want to pass this resolution. It stops one rule. That rule would raise California gas prices even more. Gas prices are already high. California is too expensive. I want to help California stay affordable. California has rules for some ships. Those rules are fine. But California went too far. They made new rules for tanker ships. Tanker ships can't follow those rules yet. So the rules don't help air quality. And tanker ships will pay big fines. The fines will be passed on to consumers. That means gas prices will go up. I want to stop that. I want to stop Sacramento and Washington when they overreach. I support good California rules that work. I just want them to use common sense.”
66% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I am supporting this resolution today for a simple reason, and that is that it will stop gas prices from getting even higher in California. We simply can't afford it. Prices are approaching $6 on average statewide, far more than any other State. We have the highest cost of living in the country, and Californians cannot afford more to be piled on. Now, I believe that air quality is vitally important at our docks, and I take no issue at all with California's longstanding program of 20 years that requires container ships, passenger ships, and reefer ships to plug in rather than have their engines idle when they are docked. Indeed, with this newest rule, I would not be supporting this resolution if the rule only concerned the roll-on/roll-off vessels, because there are workable solutions there for plugging in when they dock, but CARB overreached. The California Air Resources Board overreached. For the first time, they decided to apply this rule to tanker boilers. The problem is the technology for them just isn't there yet, so virtually none of them are going to be able to comply. What does that mean? It means, number one, there is not going to be any improvement in air quality. But, number two, for every hour that they are docked, they are going to be racking up thousands of dollars in fines, which could accumulate to literally billions of dollars, which, of course, will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for gasoline. Mr. Speaker, I have made a promise to my constituents to be a check on both Sacramento and Washington when they overreach. In this instance, Sacramento has overreached, and we have the ability to push back and to protect affordability in our State. But, in the same vein, if California wants to come up with a workable rule that applies to vessels that have the requisite technology, then I would oppose any effort here in Washington to interfere with that. You see, we can make our State more affordable while protecting our environment at the same time. All we need is a little common sense.

Doris O. Matsui, CA

Democrat
“I want to vote no on this resolution. I don't like that some say this rule will raise gas prices. That is wrong. Gas prices are high because of Trump's war. The real cost of this rule is very small. The benefits are very big. We will lose those benefits if we pass this resolution. This resolution will actually make diesel use go up. Diesel prices will go up even more. And it will cost our ports a lot of money. Companies are already following this rule. We should not stop these rules now. This resolution will not save anyone money. It will make pollution worse. That is bad for public health. Republicans hurt our healthcare system too. I want to vote no.”
58% shorter Analysis
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, Republicans claim we need to nullify this waiver because the cost of compliance is being passed on to consumers. This simply isn't true. My colleagues conveniently ignore the fact that the price of diesel is at a record high, at least $6 per gallon, thanks to Trump's reckless war in Iran. Gas prices are 35 percent higher compared to this time last year, and Americans have spent more than $105 billion more on gasoline and diesel fuel since the start of Trump's war in Iran. The cost of compliance with the At-Berth Rule is estimated to be a fraction of a cent per gallon of fuel. Even if this were to be entirely passed through consumers, it is estimated to be only $3 per year for the average California driver, for $2.4 billion in net public health benefits. Those benefits would be lost if this resolution is enacted. What is more, this resolution would drive an increase in expensive diesel fuel use and cause consumer prices to skyrocket even more, not to mention that repealing protections that are already working will lead to billions in stranded assets at ports across the State. Industry has already achieved over 95 percent compliance with this rule in 2025. There is no reason to abandon these standards now. Nullifying this waiver does nothing to save Americans money. It drives up toxic diesel pollution that endangers the public health of our communities at a time when our healthcare system is already decimated, thanks to Republicans and the big, ugly bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

More from issue 145

All 101 items ·
  1. House of Representatives Am Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 6 statements
  2. House of Representatives access to emergency information without delays. 4 statements
  3. House of Representatives Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act 6 statements
  4. House of Representatives Combating Illicit Xylazine Act 6 statements
  5. House of Representatives Tyler's Law 5 statements
  6. House of Representatives Stop Pills That Kill Act 5 statements
  7. House of Representatives Coordinating and Harnessing America's Recovery of Minerals Act 6 statements
  8. House of Representatives Battery Recycling for America's Competitive Economy Act 5 statements
  9. House of Representatives Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2025 5 statements
  10. House of Representatives Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean-Going Vessels At... 8 statements
  11. House of Representatives Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Technology Assessment Initiative Authorization Act of 2026 5 statements
  12. House of Representatives End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act 6 statements
  13. House of Representatives Taxpayer Advocate Participation Act 7 statements
  14. House of Representatives Protecting Taxpayers from Ghost Preparers Act 6 statements
  15. House of Representatives Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act 8 statements
  16. House of Representatives Returning Japanese Citizens Abducted by North Korea 2 statements
  17. House of Representatives Honoring Pastor Tim Hester 3 statements
  18. House of Representatives Honoring Life and Legacy of George Dean 2 statements
  19. House of Representatives Honoring Titusville Police Officer Jason Van Zile 5 statements
  20. House of Representatives Honoring Life and Legacy of Michael Glavey 2 statements
  21. House of Representatives Retirement of Spokane County Clerk Tim Fitzgerald 3 statements
  22. House of Representatives Lessons on New Mexico's History 4 statements
  23. House of Representatives Honoring the Life of Rodney Eagle 4 statements
  24. House of Representatives Providing for Consideration of H.R. 9576, National Fraud Enforcement Division Act of 2026; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 10326, Preventing Rip-Offs and Obtaining Oversight of Funds Act... 13 statements
  25. House of Representatives Recognizing Chicago Alderperson Michael Rodriguez 3 statements
  26. House of Representatives Ratepayer Protection Act 14 statements
  27. House of Representatives Application of Leave Provisions for Members of the Armed Forces to Members of the Public Health Service 7 statements
  28. House of Representatives High-Capacity Grid Act 5 statements
  29. House of Representatives Load Forecasting Enhancement Act 5 statements
  30. House of Representatives Recognizing South Stokes High School Marine Corps Jrotc 3 statements
  31. House of Representatives Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act 5 statements
  32. House of Representatives American Music Tourism Act of 2025 7 statements
  33. House of Representatives Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month 3 statements
  34. House of Representatives Remembering Principles That Built America 2 statements
  35. House of Representatives Recognizing New Jersey Ballet 2 statements
  36. Senate Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (Executive Calendar) 2 statements
  37. Senate Protect College Sports Act (Executive Calendar) 3 statements
  38. Senate Protect College Sports Act (Executive Calendar) 2 statements