WSJ op-ed- Handouts for Hummers

Wall Street Journal -

by Senator Susan Collins and Senator Dianne Feinstein

It's amazing how quickly a good idea can go bad in Washington. In January, we joined with Sen. Charles Schumer to introduce a bill that would allow Americans to trade in gas-guzzling cars in exchange for vouchers worth up to $4,500 toward the purchase of vehicles with greatly improved fuel economy. This legislation was modeled after programs in California and Texas that improved fuel efficiency, reduced pollution, and stimulated auto sales.

Our "Cash for Clunkers" proposal was a win-win for the environment and the economy. Then Detroit auto industry lobbyists got involved. Soon a rival bill emerged in the House, tailored perfectly to the auto industry's specifications.

The House bill was written so quickly that one of its main components -- a provision that would have excluded any vehicle manufactured overseas -- had to be removed because it violated trade laws. But the worst item on the auto industry's wish list is still at the heart of the bill -- a provision that undermines fuel-efficiency standards.

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Morning Sentinel: Mainers mull 'Cash for Clunkers'

from the Morning Sentinel:

Rich Rapisardi drives a 10-year-old Chevrolet Tahoe with 189,000 miles on it and gets 16 miles per gallon.

The Scarborough resident said that although the SUV has been trustworthy, he wouldn't hesitate to turn it in if he was going to be handed $4,500 toward a new vehicle that got at least 23 mpg.

"It's a terrific offer," Rapisardi said.

Rapisardi was reacting to the latest version of the "cash for clunkers" proposal now making its way through Congress. On Wednesday, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., came up with a more rigorous version of a proposal agreed to in the House last week.

The senators say that their version will save even more fuel and cut more emissions by requiring that the replacement vehicle receive above-average fuel economy for its class and the trade-in have a maximum fuel economy of 17 mpg, compared to the 18 mpg proposed in the House.

The senators are pushing their proposal as Congress works to create a vouchers program to entice consumers to trade in their gas guzzlers for vehicles that are more fuel-efficient. The measures are designed to get better cars on the road while boosting auto sales.

The senators say their version would save 11,451 barrels of oil a day, compared to 8,706 barrels a day saved under the House version; and 176 gallons of gas per vehicle a year, compared to 133 gallons under the House measure.

They say their proposal also would cut 1.91 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, compared to 1.45 million cut in the House version.

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Senator Collins supports efforts to raise fuel economy standards

Senator Susan Collins today commended the Administration for its plan to raise the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for all vehicles, including SUVs and sedans. The new rule would raise the average standard to 35.5 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2016.

“I have long supported efforts to tighten fuel efficiency standards in the United States,” said Senator Collins. “Implementing tougher CAFE standards will help enable us to limit our dependence on foreign oil and reduce auto emissions that are a major contributor to climate change. This proposal is the right thing to do for the environment, for the economy, for consumers, and for America.”

Senator Collins cosponsored the “Ten in Ten Fuel Economy Act,” which was successfully included in the 2007 energy bill and would increase CAFE standards for automobiles to 35 mpg by the year 2017.

In addition, Senator Collins has introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that would encourage consumers to purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles. Known as “Cash for Clunkers,” their legislation would establish a national voucher program to help enable and encourage drivers to voluntarily trade in their older, less fuel-efficient car, truck or SUV for a more fuel-efficient vehicle.

“Our legislation offers both economic and environmental benefits to the nation by stimulating the purchase of new automobiles and incentivizing fuel savings,” said Senator Collins.