Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate's bipartisan vote to block Governor Gavin Newsom’s ban on gas-powered and hybrid vehicles:
“This is a major victory for hard working Californians,” said Leader Jones. “Newsom’s car ban is virtue signaling for extreme environmentalists who want to dismantle our economy, no matter how much it hurts families already struggling to make ends meet.
“You like your gas or hybrid car? Too bad. Can’t afford an EV? That’s your problem. This is the kind of arrogance we’ve come to expect from Newsom’s agenda written by activists and paid for by everyday Californians.”
Despite the bipartisan Senate vote, Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced plans to sue the federal government in an effort to preserve the state’s mandate.
“Now, Newsom and Bonta are using our tax dollars to try and take away Californians’ freedom of choice,” continued Leader Jones. “This lawsuit isn’t about protecting the environment. It’s about protecting Newsom’s political brand.
“His defense of this car ban is just him laying the groundwork for a future presidential campaign. Newsom wants to take this failed policy nationwide, even though Californians don’t want it, and neither do Americans.”
The Senate vote (51–44) overturns California’s rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, as well as other zero-emission mandates on trucks. The measure now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it.
Leader Jones has long warned that Newsom’s radical energy agenda would raise costs, cripple the power grid, and punish working families under the guise of climate action.