Why it matters

The House passed H.J. Res. 213 on final passage on September 16, voting 214 yeas to 208 nays on a resolution disapproving an Environmental Protection Agency rule concerning California nonroad-engine pollution-control standards and commercial harbor-craft regulations. 213](https://app.legis1.com/bill/detail?id=213_119_HJRES#summary), not H.J. Res. 119. The resolution would revoke the partial authorization granted to the California Air Resources Board to amend its commercial harbor-craft regulation. Those amendments would create emissions standards and compliance dates based on vessel category and engine model year and expand the covered vessels to include examples such as commercial fishing boats.

The bill would nullify the EPA authorization decision titled “California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations; Notice of Decision.”

The big picture

H.J. Res. 213 was introduced Aug. 10, and referred that day to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The House hearing record identifies a Rules Committee hearing associated with the measure on Sept. 14. That hearing also covered H.J. Res. 210, and its title described the resolutions as congressional-disapproval measures concerning EPA rules involving California nonroad-engine standards and ocean-going vessels at berth.

The hearing index contained 144 Republican statements and 92 Democratic statements. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL-6) said he was testifying in support of two Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval. Rep. James McGovern (D-MA-2) discussed whether other states had adopted California’s waivers.

Yes, but:

Partisan perspectives

The vote was sharply divided by party. One independent member voted yea.

The vote included one Republican nay, Rep. Fitzpatrick, and three Democratic yeas, Reps. Davis, Cuellar and Gonzalez. Seven Republicans and four Democrats did not vote in Roll Call 311.

Political stakes

The House voted on final passage of a resolution providing for congressional disapproval of an EPA rule concerning commercial harbor-craft regulations. The recorded vote passed by six votes among members casting a yea-or-nay vote, according to Legis1.

The official bill record lists H.J. Res. 213’s status as “Introduced.”

The bottom line

H.J. Res. 213 is a congressional-disapproval measure focused on the EPA authorization for California commercial harbor-craft regulations. Its stated mechanism is to revoke that authorization and nullify the related EPA decision, while the underlying amendments would set emissions standards and compliance dates by vessel category and engine model year.

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