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Effort to Repeal 'Kill Switch' Mandate for Cars Fails in Congress

The House defeated an amendment to block funding for impaired-driving prevention tech, with 57 Republicans joining Democrats to keep the Biden-era mandate aimed at reducing drunk driving deaths.

  • On Thursday, the House rejected Representative Thomas Massie's amendment to H.R. 7148 on a 164–268 roll call, blocking defunding of Section 24220 of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
  • Section 24220 of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mandates all new U.S. vehicles sold after 2026 include advanced drunk and impaired‑driving prevention technology, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is still finalizing details on technology options like cameras and sensors.
  • Safety advocates including MADD argue that drunk driving caused 32% of 2022 traffic fatalities, about 13,500 deaths, while automakers estimate adding these systems could cost $500 to $2,000 per vehicle.
  • A surprising intra-GOP split saw 57 Republicans join 211 House Democrats to defeat the amendment, sparking conservative backlash including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invoking '1984' and Representative Keith Self tweeting `Unbelievably disturbing` Friday.
  • Because the amendment failed, the $1.2 trillion spending package passed the House without a ban, while automakers warn the 2026 timeline is unrealistic and the mandate remains in place, with opponents continuing to fight.
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Politico broke the news in on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
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