Issues
The National Highway Transit Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing restoring California and other state’s ability to set more stringent limits on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle tailpipes. California has a waiver under the Clean Air Act that gives the state special regulatory authority in environmental issues. However, the Trump administration ruled that California could not…
This week, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation published recommendations for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to update the federal safety rating system for automobiles. The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is designed to inform consumers through rating vehicles on their crashworthiness and some crash avoidance features. However, as cars become increasingly technologically advanced,…
The twelve governors of California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week urging him to set a zero-emission transportation goal for 2035. In their request, the governors referenced the recently unveiled American Jobs Plan, which would…
A group of public interest organizations including the State PIRG Affiliates, R-Street, and many more, released a letter this week in support of direct sales and service of electric vehicles (EVs). Currently, a patchwork of legislation in the United States prohibit the direct sale of automobiles in many states. However, this group states that,…
This week, France announced a new “Cash for Clunkers” program that incentivizes citizens to trade in their used vehicles for a 2,500 Euro ($2975) credit for an electric bicycle. This is the first program in the country that acknowledges a potential need for less vehicles on the road, and not just a turn toward clean…
Last month, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was extended from its original deadline of March 31 to its current deadline of May 31. However, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is now warning small businesses that the program may run out of money before the deadline passes. The program, which was re-opened in January with…
The U.S. House of Representatives is slated to vote this week on H.R. 7, a bill that would seek to address gender wage discrimination. If passed, this legislation would require employers to demonstrate that any gap in wages between a male and female employee was due to job performance rather than gender. Additionally, this…
President Joe Biden faces a decision this week of whether or not to overturn the International Trade Commission decision that ruled that South Korean battery manufacturer SK Innovation misused trade secrets to gain an unfair competitive decision. In 2019, South Korean battery maker LG Chem accused SK Innovation of taking key employees and stealing…
Yesterday in Pittsburgh, PA, President Joe Biden announced his proposal for a sweeping infrastructure plan entitled The American Jobs Plan. In his remarks, President Biden stated that this plan would be “the largest American jobs investment since World War II”. The plan includes a proposed $174 billion investment in creating good jobs electrifying vehicles. This…
The U.S. Senate passed the PPP Extension Act of 2021 today in a vote of 92-7. This legislation extends the deadline for eligible businesses to submit applications for first or second-draw loans to their lender of choice to May 31, 2021. The program was originally slated to expire March 31. Additionally, the legislation gives the…