[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 12 (Monday, January 22, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S843-S845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. 
        Durbin, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Ms. 
        Cantwell, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Menendez, and Ms. 
        Collins):
  S. 357. A bill to improve passenger automobile fuel economy and 
safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce dependence on foreign 
oil, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a bill with my 
colleagues Senators Snowe, Inouye, Durbin, Kerry, Boxer, Bill Nelson, 
Cantwell, Lautenberg, Lieberman, Menendez, and Collins to close the SUV 
loophole.
  This bill would increase Corporate Average Fuel Economy, CAFE, 
standards for SUVs and other light duty trucks. It would increase the 
combined fleet average for all automobiles--SUVs, light trucks and 
passenger cars--from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon by 
model year 2019.
  The high price of oil is not a problem we can drill our way out of. 
Global oil demand is rising. China imports more than 40 percent of its 
record 6.4 million-barrel-per-day oil demand and its consumption is 
growing by 7.5 percent per year, seven times faster than the U.S.
  India imports approximately 70 percent of its oil, which is projected 
to rise to more than 90 percent by 2020. Their rapidly growing 
economies are fueling their growing dependence on oil--which makes 
continued higher prices inevitable.
  The most effective step we can take to reduce gas prices is to reduce 
demand. We must use our finite fuel supplies more wisely.
  This legislation is an important first step to limit our Nation's 
dependence on oil and better protect our environment.
  If implemented, closing the SUV Loophole would: save the U.S. 2.1 
million barrels of oil a day by 2025, almost the same amount of oil we 
currently import from the Persian Gulf.
  It would also prevent about 350 million tons of carbon dioxide--the 
top greenhouse gas and biggest single cause of global warming from 
being emitted into our atmosphere by 2025. This is an 18 percent 
reduction, the equivalent of taking 60 million cars--or 50 million cars 
and light trucks--off the road in one year.
  This bill would also save SUV and light duty truck owners hundreds of 
dollars each year in gasoline costs.
  CAFE standards were first established in 1975. At that time, light 
trucks made up only a small percentage of the vehicles on the road, 
they were used mostly for agriculture and commerce, not as passenger 
cars.
  Today, our roads look much different, SUVs and light duty trucks 
comprise more than half of the new car sales in the United States. As a 
result, the overall fuel economy of our Nation's fleet is the lowest it 
has been in two decades, because fuel economy standards for these 
vehicles are so much lower than they are for other passenger vehicles.
  The bill we are introducing today would change that. SUVs and other 
light duty trucks would have to meet the same fuel economy requirements 
by 2013 that passenger cars meet today.
  In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences, NAS, released a report 
stating that adequate lead time can bring about substantive increases 
in fuel economy standards. Automakers can meet higher CAFE standards if 
existing technologies are utilized and included in new models of SUVs 
and light trucks.
  In 2003, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration said he favored an increase in vehicle fuel economy 
standards beyond the 1.5-mile-per-gallon hike slated to go into effect 
by 2007. ``We can do better,'' said Jeffrey Runge in an interview with 
Congressional Green Sheets. ``The overriding goal here is better fuel 
economy to decrease our reliance on foreign oil without compromising 
safety or American jobs,'' he said.
  With this in mind, we have developed the following phase-in schedule 
which would follow up on what NHTSA has proposed for the short term and 
remain consistent with what the NAS report said is technologically 
feasible over the next decade or so. As a first step, by model year 
2010, passenger cars must meet an average fuel economy standard of 29.5 
mpg, and SUVs and light trucks must meet 23.5 mpg. By way of 
comparison, passenger cars in model year 2005 averaged 30 mpg, light 
trucks averaged 21.8 mpg, and the overall combined fleet average is 
25.2 mpg.
  The bill also increases the weight limit within which vehicles are 
bound by CAFE standards to make it harder for automotive manufacturers 
to build SUVs large enough to become exempted from CAFE standards. 
Because SUVs are becoming larger and larger, some may become so large 
that they will no longer qualify as even SUVs anymore.
  We are introducing this legislation because we believe that the 
United States needs to take a leadership role in the fight against 
global warming.
  We have already seen the potential destruction that global warming 
can cause in the United States.
  Snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada are shrinking and will almost entirely 
disappear by the end of the century, devastating the source of 
California's water.
  Eskimos are being forced inland in Alaska as their native homes on 
the coastline are melting into the sea.
  Glaciers are disappearing in Glacier National Park in Montana. In 100 
years, the park has gone from having 150 glaciers to fewer than 30. And 
the 30 that remain are two-thirds smaller than they once were.
  Beyond our borders, scientists are predicting how the impact of 
global warming will be felt around the globe.
  It has been estimated that two-thirds of the glaciers in western 
China will melt by 2050, seriously diminishing the water supply for the 
region's 300 million inhabitants. Additionally, the disappearance of 
glaciers in the Andes in Peru is projected to leave the population 
without an adequate water supply during the summer.
  The United States is the largest energy consumer in the world, with 4 
percent of the world's population using 25 percent of the planet's 
energy.
  And much of this energy is used in cars and light trucks: 43 percent 
of the oil we use goes into our vehicles and one-third of all carbon 
dioxide emissions come from our transportation sector.
  The U.S. is falling behind the rest of the world in the development 
of more fuel efficient automobiles. Quarterly auto sales reflect that 
consumers are buying smaller more fuel efficient cars and sales of the 
big, luxury vehicles that are the preferred vehicle of the American 
automakers have dropped significantly.
  Even SUV sales have slowed. First quarter 2005 deliveries of these 
vehicles are down compared to the same period last year--for example, 
sales of the Ford Excursion is down by 29.5 percent, the Cadillac 
Escalade by 19.9 percent, and the Toyota Sequoia by 12.6 percent.
  On the other hand, the Toyota Prius hybrid had record sales in March 
with a 160.9 percent increase over the previous year.
  The struggling U.S. auto market cannot afford to fall behind in the 
development of fuel efficient vehicles. Our bill sets out a reasonable 
time frame for car manufacturers to design vehicles that are more fuel 
efficient and that will meet the growing demand for more fuel efficient 
vehicles.
  We can do this, and we can do this today. I urge my colleagues to 
support this legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 357

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Ten-in-Ten 
     Fuel Economy Act''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:


[[Page S844]]


Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Average fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles and 
              light trucks.
Sec. 3. Passenger car program reform.
Sec. 4. Definition of work truck.
Sec. 5. Definition of light truck.
Sec. 6. Ensuring safety of passenger automobiles and light trucks.
Sec. 7. Onboard fuel economy indicators and devices.
Sec. 8. Secretary of Transportation to certify benefits.
Sec. 9. Credit trading program.
Sec. 10. Report to Congress.
Sec. 11. Labels for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.

     SEC. 2. AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS FOR PASSENGER 
                   AUTOMOBILES AND LIGHT TRUCKS.

       (a) Increased Standards.--Section 32902 of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``Non-Passenger Automobiles.--'' and 
     inserting ``Prescription of Standards by Regulation.--''; and
       (B) by striking ``(except passenger automobiles)'' and 
     inserting ``(except passenger automobiles and light 
     trucks)''; and
       (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
       ``(b) Standards for Passenger Automobiles and Light 
     Trucks.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation, after 
     consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, shall prescribe average fuel economy 
     standards for passenger automobiles and light trucks 
     manufactured by a manufacturer in each model year beginning 
     with model year 2010 in order to achieve a combined average 
     fuel economy standard for passenger automobiles and light 
     trucks for model year 2019 of at least 35 miles per gallon 
     (or such other number of miles per gallon as the Secretary 
     may prescribe under subsection (c)).
       ``(2) Elimination of suv loophole.--Beginning not later 
     than model year 2013, the regulations prescribed under this 
     section may not make any distinction between passenger 
     automobiles and light trucks.
       ``(3) Progress toward standard required.--In prescribing 
     average fuel economy standards under paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary shall prescribe appropriate annual fuel economy 
     standard increases for passenger automobiles and light trucks 
     that--
       ``(A) increase the applicable average fuel economy standard 
     ratably beginning with model year 2010 and ending with model 
     year 2019;
       ``(B) require that each manufacturer achieve--
       ``(i) a fuel economy standard for passenger automobiles 
     manufactured by that manufacturer of at least 29.5 miles per 
     gallon not later than model year 2010; and
       ``(ii) a fuel economy standard for light trucks 
     manufactured by that manufacturer of at least 23.5 miles per 
     gallon not later than model year 2010.
       ``(4) Fuel economy baseline for passenger automobiles.--
     Notwithstanding the maximum feasible average fuel economy 
     level established by regulations prescribed under subsection 
     (c), the minimum fleetwide average fuel economy standard for 
     passenger automobiles manufactured by a manufacturer in a 
     model year for that manufacturer's domestic fleet and foreign 
     fleet, as calculated under section 32904 as in effect before 
     the date of the enactment of the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act, 
     shall be the greater of--
       ``(A) 27.5 miles per gallon; or
       ``(B) 92 percent of the average fuel economy projected by 
     the Secretary for the combined domestic and foreign fleets 
     manufactured by all manufacturers in that model year.
       ``(5) Deadline for regulations.--The Secretary shall 
     promulgate the regulations required by paragraphs (1) and (2) 
     in final form not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act.''.

     SEC. 3. PASSENGER CAR PROGRAM REFORM.

       Section 32902(c) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended to read as follows:
       ``(c) Amending Passenger Automobile Standards.--Not later 
     than 18 months before the beginning of each model year, the 
     Secretary of Transportation may prescribe regulations 
     amending a standard prescribed under subsection (b) for a 
     model year to a level that the Secretary determines to be the 
     maximum feasible average fuel economy level for that model 
     year. Section 553 of title 5 applies to a proceeding to amend 
     any standard prescribed under subsection (b). Any interested 
     person may make an oral presentation and a transcript shall 
     be taken of that presentation. The Secretary may prescribe 
     separate standards for different classes of passenger 
     automobiles.''.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF WORK TRUCK.

       (a) Definition of Work Truck.--Section 32901(a) of title 49 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(17) `work truck' means an automobile that the Secretary 
     determines by regulation--
       ``(A) is rated at between 8,500 and 10,000 pounds gross 
     vehicle weight; and
       ``(B) is not a medium-duty passenger vehicle (as defined in 
     section 86.1803-01 of title 40, Code of Federal 
     Regulations).''.
       (b) Deadline for Regulations.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation--
       (1) shall issue proposed regulations implementing the 
     amendment made by subsection (a) not later than 1 year after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act; and
       (2) shall issue final regulations implementing the 
     amendment not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (c) Fuel Economy Standards for Work Trucks.--The Secretary 
     of Transportation, in consultation with the Administrator of 
     the Environmental Protection Agency, shall prescribe 
     standards to achieve the maximum feasible fuel economy for 
     work trucks (as defined in section 32901(a)(17) of title 49, 
     United States Code) manufactured by a manufacturer in each 
     model year beginning with model year 2013.

     SEC. 5. DEFINITION OF LIGHT TRUCK.

       (a) Definition of Light Truck.--
       (1) In general.--Section 32901(a) of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
     following:
       ``(11) `light truck' means an automobile that the Secretary 
     determines by regulation--
       ``(A) is manufactured primarily for transporting not more 
     than 10 individuals;
       ``(B) is rated at not more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle 
     weight;
       ``(C) is not a passenger automobile; and
       ``(D) is not a work truck.''.
       (2) Deadline for regulations.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation--
       (A) shall issue proposed regulations implementing the 
     amendment made by paragraph (1) not later than 1 year after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act; and
       (B) shall issue final regulations implementing the 
     amendment not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (3) Effective date.--Regulations prescribed under paragraph 
     (1) shall apply beginning with model year 2010.
       (b) Applicability of Existing Standards.--This section does 
     not affect the application of section 32902 of title 49, 
     United States Code, to passenger automobiles or non-passenger 
     automobiles manufactured before model year 2010.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation 
     $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2021 to 
     carry out the provisions of chapter 329 of title 49, United 
     States Code.

     SEC. 6. ENSURING SAFETY OF PASSENGER AUTOMOBILES AND LIGHT 
                   TRUCKS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     exercise such authority under Federal law as the Secretary 
     may have to ensure that--
       (1) passenger automobiles and light trucks (as such terms 
     are defined in section 32901 of title 49, United States Code) 
     are safe;
       (2) progress is made in improving the overall safety of 
     passenger automobiles and light trucks; and
       (3) progress is made in maximizing United States 
     employment.
       (b) Vehicle Safety.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 
     49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``Sec. 30129. Vehicle compatibility and aggressivity 
       reduction standard

       ``(a) Standards.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     issue a motor vehicle safety standard to reduce vehicle 
     incompatibility and aggressivity between passenger vehicles 
     and non-passenger vehicles. The standard shall address 
     characteristics necessary to ensure better management of 
     crash forces in multiple vehicle frontal and side impact 
     crashes between different types, sizes, and weights of 
     vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less 
     in order to decrease occupant deaths and injuries.
       ``(b) Consumer Information.--The Secretary shall develop 
     and implement a public information side and frontal 
     compatibility crash test program with vehicle ratings based 
     on risks to occupants, risks to other motorists, and combined 
     risks by vehicle make and model.''.
       (c) Rulemaking Deadlines.--
       (1) Rulemaking.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     issue--
       (A) a notice of a proposed rulemaking under section 30129 
     of title 49, United States Code, not later than January 1, 
     2010; and
       (B) a final rule under such section not later than December 
     31, 2011.
       (2) Effective date of requirements.--Any requirement 
     imposed under the final rule issued under paragraph (1) shall 
     become fully effective not later than September 1, 2013.
       (d) Conforming Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 
     301 is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
     section 30128 the following:

``30129. Vehicle compatibility and aggressivity reduction standard''.

     SEC. 7. ONBOARD FUEL ECONOMY INDICATORS AND DEVICES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 329 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 32920. Fuel economy indicators and devices

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, shall prescribe a fuel economy standard 
     for passenger automobiles and light trucks manufactured by a 
     manufacturer in each model year beginning with model year 
     2014 that requires each such automobile and light truck to be 
     equipped with--
       ``(1) an onboard electronic instrument that provides real-
     time and cumulative fuel economy data;

[[Page S845]]

       ``(2) an onboard electronic instrument that signals a 
     driver when inadequate tire pressure may be affecting fuel 
     economy; and
       ``(3) a device that will allow drivers to place the 
     automobile or light truck in a mode that will automatically 
     produce greater fuel economy.
       ``(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to any 
     vehicle that is not subject to an average fuel economy 
     standard under section 32902(b).
       ``(c) Enforcement.--Subchapter IV of chapter 301 of this 
     title shall apply to a fuel economy standard prescribed under 
     subsection (a) to the same extent and in the same manner as 
     if that standard were a motor vehicle safety standard under 
     chapter 301.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 
     329 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 32919 the following:

``32920. Fuel economy indicators and devices''.

     SEC. 8. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION TO CERTIFY BENEFITS.

       Beginning with model year 2010, the Secretary of 
     Transportation, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency, shall annually determine and 
     certify to Congress the reduction in United States 
     consumption of gasoline and petroleum distillates used for 
     vehicle fuel and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions 
     during the most recent year that are properly attributable to 
     the implementation of the average fuel economy standards 
     imposed under section 32902 of title 49, United States Code, 
     as a result of the amendments made by this Act.

     SEC. 9. CREDIT TRADING PROGRAM.

       Section 32903 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``passenger'' each place it appears;
       (2) by striking ``section 32902(b)-(d) of this title'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``subsection (a), (c), or (d) 
     of section 32902'';
       (3) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``clause (1) of this 
     subsection'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)''; and
       (4) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
       ``(e) Credit Trading Among Manufacturers.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation may establish, by regulation, a corporate 
     average fuel economy credit trading program to allow 
     manufacturers whose automobiles exceed the average fuel 
     economy standards prescribed under section 32902 to earn 
     credits to be sold to manufacturers whose automobiles fail to 
     achieve the prescribed standards.''.

     SEC. 10. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than December 31, 2014, the Secretary of 
     Transportation shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     progress made by the automobile manufacturing industry 
     towards meeting the 35 miles per gallon average fuel economy 
     standard required under section 32902(b)(1) of title 49, 
     United States Code.

     SEC. 11. LABELS FOR FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS 
                   EMISSIONS.

       Section 32908 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``of this title'' and 
     inserting ``and a light truck manufactured by a manufacturer 
     in a model year after model year 2010; and'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (H); 
     and
       (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
       ``(F) a label (or a logo imprinted on a label required by 
     this paragraph) that--
       ``(i) reflects an automobile's performance on the basis of 
     criteria developed by the Administrator to reflect the fuel 
     economy and greenhouse gas and other emissions consequences 
     of operating the automobile over its likely useful life;
       ``(ii) permits consumers to compare performance results 
     under clause (i) among all passenger automobiles and light 
     duty trucks; and
       ``(iii) is designed to encourage the manufacture and sale 
     of passenger automobiles and light trucks that meet or exceed 
     applicable fuel economy standards under section 32902.
       ``(G) a fuelstar under paragraph (5).''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Green Label Program.--
       ``(A) Marketing analysis.--Not later than 2 years after the 
     date of the enactment of the Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act, the 
     Administrator shall complete a study of social marketing 
     strategies with the goal of maximizing consumer understanding 
     of point-of-sale labels or logos described in paragraph 
     (1)(F).
       ``(B) Eligibility.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
     described in subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall issue 
     requirements for the label or logo required under paragraph 
     (1)(F) to ensure that a passenger automobile or light truck 
     is not eligible for the label or logo unless it--
       ``(i) meets or exceeds the applicable fuel economy 
     standard; or
       ``(ii) will have the lowest greenhouse gas emissions over 
     the useful life of the vehicle of all vehicles in the vehicle 
     class to which it belongs in that model year.
       ``(C) Criteria.--In developing criteria for the label or 
     logo, the Administrator shall also consider, among others as 
     appropriate, the following factors:
       ``(i) The recyclability of the automobile.
       ``(ii) Any other pollutants or harmful byproducts related 
     to the automobile, which may include those generated during 
     manufacture of the automobile, those issued during use of the 
     automobile, or those generated after the automobile ceases to 
     be operated.
       ``(5) Fuelstar Program.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program, 
     to be known as the `Fuelstar Program', under which stars 
     shall be imprinted on or attached to the label required by 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(B) Green stars.--Under the Fuelstar Program, a 
     manufacturer may include on the label maintained on an 
     automobile under paragraph (1)--
       ``(i) 1 green star for any automobile that meets the 
     average fuel economy standard for the model year under 
     section 32902; and
       ``(ii) 1 additional green star for each 2 miles per gallon 
     by which the automobile exceeds such standard.
       ``(C) Gold stars.--Under the Fuelstar Program, a 
     manufacturer may include a gold star on the label maintained 
     on an automobile under paragraph (1) if--
       ``(i) in the case of a passenger automobile, the automobile 
     attains a fuel economy of at least 50 miles per gallon; and
       ``(ii) in the case of a light truck, the truck attains a 
     fuel economy of at least 37 miles per gallon.''.

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President: I rise today to join my colleague Senator 
Feinstein in introducing probably one of the most important bills we 
can consider this Congress in terms of energy, economic, and 
environmental security: the Ten-In-Ten Fuel Economy Act of 2007. Simply 
put, this bill would raise the average fuel economy standards for all 
passenger cars and light trucks from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles 
per gallon by the year 2019.
  While Senator Feinstein and I have taken the lead on this issue, the 
bill we are introducing today is the product of considerable input and 
expertise provided by our colleagues Senators Snowe, Durbin, and 
Cantwell.
  I also want to thank Senators Kerry, Boxer, Bill Nelson, Lautenberg, 
Lieberman, Menendez, and Collins for joining us in this effort.
  This bill is a win-win for the American public. It will substantially 
reduce America's dependence on foreign oil from unstable governments, 
as well as decrease the amount of harmful emissions coming from our 
nation's passenger vehicles. At the same time, it will save American 
families money by reducing their fuel costs.
  According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, this bill, if 
enacted, would save 6 billion gallons of gas--equating to $12 billion 
in fuel cost savings for motorists in this country--within 6 years of 
the first model year requiring improvement.
  That $12 billion in fuel cost savings also translates into a 
reduction of 65 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions--one of 
the largest contributors to global warming. This level of savings after 
only 6 years would be accomplished before the full contribution of the 
bill is achieved.
  By 2025, assuming today's price for a gallon of gas, enactment of 
this bill would effectively reduce consumption of foreign oil by 2.1 
million barrels a day by saving over 35 billion gallons of gasoline 
annually. It would provide motorists with $64 billion in fuel cost 
savings, and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 358 million metric 
tons. This decrease in carbon dioxide emissions would be the equivalent 
of taking 52 million cars and trucks off the road. This incredible 
savings is achieved by simply raising the fuel economy standard from 25 
miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon in a 10 year period.
  Some of our colleagues may question whether this proposed standard 
can be achieved. Let me just note that the Commerce Committee helped 
establish the first CAFE standards in 1975, against the cries of 
critics then. History, however, shows that Congress' action then was 
largely responsible for the Nation's decreased demand for oil during 
the 1980s necessitated by the Arab Oil Embargo. Since the 1980s, 
however, the fuel economy average for cars and light trucks combined 
has remained essentially flat even though advances in technology have 
continued. It is time to update CAFE standards. The benefits gained 
from undertaking this endeavor are many, and too long overdue.
                                 ______