Ann Carlson, a key federal official involved in shaping regulations to promote electric vehicle (EV) use, is set to depart from the Biden administration at the end of January, according to an internal agency memo obtained by Fox News Digital.
Carlson, who is currently the acting administrator for the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will step down from her role on Dec. 26, 2023, and leave the agency entirely by the end of January. The announcement was made by Patrick Lally, who heads NHTSA’s governmental affairs office.
A Department of Transportation spokesperson stated, “Ann has been a tremendous leader. Under her leadership, NHTSA strengthened child seat standards, moved to require Automated Emergency Braking in light and heavy vehicles, oversaw major recalls, and held registered importers and those who commit odometer fraud accountable.”
However, Carlson faced opposition from Republicans due to her past climate activism, support for regulations targeting gas-powered vehicles, and her continued leadership of NHTSA in an acting role even after failing Senate confirmation for the permanent position.
President Biden nominated Carlson to lead the NHTSA in February 2023, but her nomination failed in May. Despite this, she continued to lead the agency and crafted the most aggressive national fuel economy standards ever developed, facing criticism for continuing in her acting role after her nomination was withdrawn.
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said, “Her attempts to hijack this safety agency by rewriting auto fuel economy standards into an unpopular de facto EV mandate should not stand as a result of her illegal appointment.”
Cruz introduced a resolution alongside Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., in September that could have effectively defunded Carlson due to concerns about her extreme agenda and radical record.
“President Biden’s illegal appointment of Ann Carlson, who was effectively rejected by the Senate, will only yield more mandates, higher costs for families, and a less vibrant economy,” Cruz said in September.