House Republicans are pushing a bill that would eliminate penalties for automakers who don’t meet federal fuel economy standards—effectively gutting the rules without formally repealing them. The proposal argues that fines are unfair to car companies, but critics say it’s a backdoor way to weaken environmental regulations.

A new Republican-backed bill is proposing an unexpected tax that could deal a major blow to the wind and solar energy industries. Critics warn this could slow down the U.S. transition to renewable energy by making these projects far more expensive—potentially derailing investments and jobs in the sector.