Biden vetoes congressional effort to ax truck pollution rule

President Biden on Wednesday vetoed a congressional effort to overturn his administration’s rule governing pollution from heavy-duty vehicles including trucks and buses.

Biden, in a veto message, defended the rule that Republicans and a handful of Democrats sought to overturn. 

“The rule cuts pollution, boosts public health, and advances environmental justice in communities across the country.  It will prevent hundreds, if not thousands, of premature deaths; thousands of childhood asthma cases; and millions of missed school days every year,” he said in the message to Congress. 

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the attempt to overturn the rule “the most recent attempt by congressional Republicans to pollute the air our children breathe.”

The rule in question seeks to limit emissions of a group of pollutants known as nitrogen oxides that can contribute to the development of asthma. It is expected to cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent in the year 2045 and prevent 2,900 premature deaths that year alone. 

However, its opponents argue the limits are costly for industry to comply with and could therefore worsen inflation.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who sponsored the resolution Wednesday, slammed Biden’s decision to veto the legislation.

“President Biden chose to prioritize his extreme environmental agenda over bipartisan pushback from Congress,” she said in a written statement.

“This veto is more than just a slap in the face to truckers. … Pushing this excessive regulation forward will also raise prices for families already grappling with inflation,” she added, vowing to work with colleagues on ways to push back.

The Senate voted to overturn the rule in April, and the House voted to overturn it in May. 

Alex Gangitano contributed.