Press Releases

Rep. Loudermilk (R-GA) and Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) partnered on a bill to reverse an Obama-era EPA rule that incorrectly defines truck trailers as self-propelled vehicles.

The Truck, Trailer, and Transport Efficiency Act (T3E) changes the regulation issued by the EPA, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which illegally extended the EPA’s legislative authority by defining truck trailers as motor vehicles.

“The EPA’s rule, finalized under the last Administration, is illegal, illogical, ineffective, and expensive,” said Rep. Griffith. “This legislation will correct an improper interpretation of the Clean Air Act by the Obama Administration’s EPA. The bill requires the EPA to revise the rule that pertains to self-propelled larger vehicles to properly reflect the plain meaning of the Clean Air Act. By doing this, we support thousands of jobs nationwide, including many in my district.”

“Anyone with any common sense can tell you that a truck trailer is not a ‘self-propelled vehicle,’ said Rep. Loudermilk. “If it doesn’t have an engine, exhaust pipes, or the ability to move on its own, it doesn’t make the cut. The EPA, under the previous administration, expanded its regulatory reach beyond the limits set by Congress by issuing this rule and now it’s our responsibility to undo it. This senseless measure has actually harmed the environment by forcing more trucks onto the road - to carry the same amount of goods – causing even more fuel to be burned and more emissions polluting the air. My good friend, Rep. Morgan Griffith, has been instrumental in the creation of this legislation, and I’m grateful for his leadership as we’ve partnered together in this effort.”

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