The resolution will now head to the White House, where President Donald Trump is expected to sign it.
WASHINGTON -- California and the U.S. government are in a tug-of-war over the state's electric vehicle mandate.
In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to ban the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035, an aggressive effort in an attempt to lower transportation emissions.
Dealerships were given goals to steadily work toward over 15 years, with one fast approaching.
Under the plan, 35% of new 2026 model cars sold in the state are supposed to be zero-emission.
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Based on data released by the California Energy Commission, it seemed unlikely the state was going to reach that goal as EV sales dropped to 23% this year compared to 25% last year.
The commission says it is due to a drop in Tesla sales.
Opponents in the Senate want to squash this mandate entirely because they say it impacts more than just Californians.
"They span 11 states, including big population states, New York, New Jersey, and here in the District of Columbia, all of them signed on to California's radical attempt to set a new national standard," said Wyoming Senator John Barrasso.
"So, it's not a California standard, everyone is impacted," said Barrasso.
Others, like California Senator Adam Schiff, say the move is an attack on the state and is motivated by the oil industry.
"They want to take away not only California's right to breathe cleaner air, but all the other states that have followed California's example," Schiff said.
RELATED: US House votes to block California's 2035 ban on sale of new gas-powered cars
"They say they're for state's rights in one breath, on the other hand, they want to say, 'No California, you don't get to decide how clean or dirty your air is, we'll decide that for you.' That's just a giveaway to the oil industry."
California's EV regulations are stricter than federal emission standards, but the state was given an EPA waiver, which has been granted to California since Congress passed the 1967 Clean Air Act.
The U.S. Senate's Parliamentarian and the Government Accountability Office, which act as nonpartisan referees in the federal government, say Congress does not have the power to review Clean Air Act waivers.
On Thursday, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced their plans to sue in response to the vote.
The resolution now moves to President Donald Trump's desk, who's expected to sign it, but we'll have to see what happens with the legal battle.