House Rules Committee approves closed rules for five Congressional Review Act resolutions targeting EPA, NPS and USFWS actions

The House Committee on Rules on April 29 approved closed rules to consider five congressional review disapproval resolutions aimed at federal actions from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Chairwoman Fox opened the session and called witnesses from the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Natural Resources; Representative Anthony Joyce and Representative Paul Tonko summarized their opposing views on whether CRA resolutions are appropriate for the agency actions at issue. Representative Joyce said the Biden administration's EPA "wrongly allowed an EV mandate that will affect the entire country," and argued the waivers permit California to set vehicle standards that he said would hurt consumers and small businesses. Representative Tonko told the committee the Clean Air Act's waiver process accommodates California's unique air-quality challenges and that "the Congressional Review Act does not even apply to these waivers," citing determinations by the Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian.

The five joint resolutions covered by the closed-rule package are: - H.J. Res. 60: disapproval of a National Park Service motor-vehicle management rule for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah); -…