[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 145 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8481-S8482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. Lugar):
  S. 3485. A bill to require manufacturers to increase the percentage 
of automobiles manufactured for sale within the United States that are 
capable of operating on higher-level blends of renewable fuels, such as 
ethanol and biodiesel, in combination with gasoline or diesel fuel; to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, our national energy situation is 
continuing to deteriorate. Petroleum and gasoline prices have set all 
time records, and our oil imports are responsible for an incredibly 
large wealth transfer from America to global oil producers. Our most 
immediate and visible energy challenges are adequate supplies and 
record prices for fuels in our transportation sector, but natural gas 
and coal prices also have risen to new plateaus, and these are 
impacting both electricity prices and manufacturing and delivery costs 
across our economy and society. We have yet to tackle the problem of 
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the large majority of which result 
from the combustion of fossil fuels. The environmental impacts of 
energy use, especially from autos and power plants, are still a major 
health concern. In short, we need to initiate a major transition of our 
energy sector, to one that is far more efficient, is much less reliant 
on fossil fuels and imported oil, and is utilizing vastly more 
domestically produced renewable fuels and energy.
  Americans recognize the magnitude and the urgency of our energy 
challenges. They rightfully expect us to adopt policies to move this 
energy transition forward. In particular, we need to reduce dependence 
on oil in transportation, and we have broad agreement on two 
fundamental approaches--increasing efficiency of vehicles and 
increasing use of alternative fuels. However, in expanding the use of 
alternative fuels, we face the challenge of needing both alternative 
fueling stations and vehicles that can use these fuels. The Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 calls for a brisk expansion of 
the production and use of biofuels, and it promotes the expansion of 
the ethanol distribution and sales infrastructure. In parallel, we need 
to rapidly expand the number of dual fuel automobiles, including in 
particular autos that can be fueled with any blend of gasoline and 
ethanol ranging from zero to 85 percent ethanol.
  Today I am joined by my esteemed colleague, Senator Lugar of Indiana, 
in introducing the Dual fuel Automobile Act of 2008. This bill will 
expand the number of dual fuel automobiles at a rapid pace while not 
imposing undue production cost challenges or our auto manufacturers. It 
calls for 50 percent of all light-duty vehicles manufactured for sale 
in the United States to be dual fuel automobiles by 2011. It increases 
that to 90 percent of all light-duty vehicles manufactured for U.S. 
sales by 2013. These requirements are reasonable because it is known 
that gasoline vehicles require relatively minor changes in fuel system 
designs to be able to use blends of gasoline and ethanol which qualify 
them for dual fuel designation.
  This mandate will ensure that the number of dual fuel automobiles in 
our transportation fleet is expanding apace with the expansion of 
ethanol production and use in our national fuel supply over the next 15 
years and beyond. Taken together, our increasing production of 
biofuels, our incentives for 
installation of alternative fuel infrastructure, light-duty vehicle 
requirement will provide Americans the option of choosing clean, 
domestically-produced fuels for their personal transportation needs in 
the future. This represents a critical component in the transition of 
our energy systems away from fossil and imported fuels toward reliance 
on sustainable domestic fuel sources.
  Today I urge my Senate colleagues to join us in taking action to 
boost the transition to a cleaner, more resilient, and more secure 
energy economy. I request support for this bill and its rapid 
enactment.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 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. 3485

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

     SECTION 1. ENSURING THE AVAILABILITY OF DUAL FUELED 
                   AUTOMOBILES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 329 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 32902 the 
     following:

     ``Sec. 32902A. Requirement to manufacture dual fueled 
       automobiles

       ``(a) In General.--For each model year listed in the 
     following table, each manufacturer shall ensure that the 
     percentage of automobiles manufactured by the manufacturer 
     for sale in the United States that are dual fueled 
     automobiles is not less than the percentage set forth for 
     that model year in the following table:

 
               ``Model Year                          Percentage
 
model years 2011 and 2012.................  50 percent
model year 2013 and each subsequent model   90 percent
 year.
 

       ``(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to 
     automobiles that operate only on electricity.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
     329 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 32902 the following:

``32902A. Requirement to manufacture dual fueled automobiles.''.

       (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
     shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made 
     by this Act.

  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, A few days ago I returned from a two week 
engagement abroad which included stops at Azerbaijan's oil and natural 
gas rich Caspian Sea coast, through Georgia, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, 
Germany, and finally to Brussels, Belgium.
  While my visit was planned well in advance of the conflict between 
Georgia and Russia, recent events have amplified the importance of 
energy as a strategic priority in capitals across this region. States 
dependent on Russian gas to fuel their economies and ways of life 
understand that turning off the tap may be as effective a weapon as the 
tanks and armies that rolled across Georgia. For example, the Russian 
suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine 2 years ago spurred significant 
discussion of energy security amongst European friends. Yet only modest 
changes in planning and preparation have occurred. Meanwhile, Russia 
has aggressively sought to increase its dominance over energy supplies.
  In the U.S. we are largely dependent on foreign governments for our 
transportation energy needs, which leaves our own security and 
prosperity in jeopardy. Accordingly, we must attain genuine energy 
security with supplies sufficient enough to grow our economy and 
insulate us from foreign manipulation. We are fortunate to have the 
means to bolster both renewable and conventional energy sources.
  Realizing this potential will take leadership and vision. Renewable 
energy offers the greatest hope to wed our energy security needs with 
economic growth and environmental stewardship. However, one of the 
major impediments to expanding renewable energy, such as biofuels, is a 
lack of appropriate infrastructure. Currently our automobile fleet is 
largely built to run on petroleum based gasoline and up to 10 percent 
ethanol blends. This means that even though ethanol makes up a 
relatively small portion of our fuel source, greater production from 
the next generation biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, will be 
severely hampered, if not prevented.

[[Page S8482]]

  This is why I join Senator Harkin of Iowa in introducing the Dual 
Fuel Automobile Act of 2008. This bill calls for 50 percent of all 
automobiles manufactured for sale in the U.S. to be dual fuel 
automobiles by 2011, meaning that the purchaser of the vehicle would 
have a choice in which fuel they choose to power their vehicle. It 
would increase to 90 percent of all automobiles manufactured for U.S. 
sales by 2013. Relatively minor and inexpensive changes in fuel system 
designs allow blends of gasoline and ethanol to be used dependent on 
the consumer's choice each time they fill up.
                                 ______