[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2865 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2865

 To require that automobiles and light trucks are able to operate on a 
    fuel mixture that is at least 85 percent ethanol, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 29, 2004

  Mr. Dayton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require that automobiles and light trucks are able to operate on a 
    fuel mixture that is at least 85 percent ethanol, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom From Foreign Oil Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO PERMIT AUTOMOBILES TO USE CERTAIN ALTERNATIVE 
              FUELS.

    (a) Requirement.--Chapter 329 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 32902 the following new section:
``Sec. 32902A. Requirement to equip automobiles to use alternative 
              biofuels
    ``(a) Requirement.--A passenger automobile, an automobile capable 
of off-highway operation, or a light truck manufactured by a 
manufacturer in a model year that is after model year 2005 and that is 
capable of operating on gasoline shall also be capable of operating on 
a flexible fuel mixture.
    ``(b) Consumer Information.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
prescribe regulations that require the manufacturer of a passenger 
automobile, an automobile capable of off-highway operation, or a light 
truck--
            ``(1) to prominently display a permanent badge or emblem on 
        the quarter panel or tailgate of each such automobile or light 
        truck manufactured by the manufacturer that indicates such 
        automobile or light truck is capable of operating on a flexible 
        fuel mixture; and
            ``(2) to include in the owner's manual of each such 
        automobile or light truck information describing--
                    ``(A) the capability of the automobile or light 
                truck to operate using a flexible fuel mixture; and
                    ``(B) the benefits of using a flexible fuel 
                mixture, including the renewable nature, the increased 
                fuel efficiency, and the environmental benefits of 
                using flexible fuels.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Automobile capable of off-highway operation.--The 
        term `automobile capable of off-highway operation' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 523.5 of title 49, Code of 
        Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
            ``(2) Flexible fuel mixture.--The term `flexible fuel 
        mixture' means a mixture containing at least 85 percent of 
        ethanol by volume with gasoline.
            ``(3) Light truck.--The term `light truck' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 523.5 of title 49, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (or any successor regulation).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
32902 the following new item:

``32902A. Requirement to equip automobiles to use alternative 
                            biofuels.''.

SEC. 3. PENALTIES.

    A person may not be treated as being in violation of section 
32911(a) of title 49, United States Code, if the person fails to comply 
with section 32902A of such title, as added by section 2, on a date 
that is prior to January 1, 2007.

SEC. 4. ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE THE USE OF CERTAIN ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out activities to 
promote the use of a mixture containing at least 85 percent of ethanol 
by volume with gasoline in motor vehicles in the United States.
                                 <all>