Engel Asks Bush To Support His Bi-Partisan "Drive" Act To Cut Oil Imports

Press Release

ENGEL ASKS BUSH TO SUPPORT HIS BI-PARTISAN ‘DRIVE' ACT TO CUT OIL IMPORTS

Following up and his talk to President Bush after his State of the Union address, Congressman Eliot Engel has written to the president asking him to support the congressman's DRIVE Act, a bi-partisan bill which would cut oil imports by 2.5 million barrels a day by 2015 and 5 million barrels by 2025.

In the letter, Rep. Engel and his co-sponsor, Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said, "Our country has become increasingly dependent on oil imports from countries who deny their citizens basic democratic freedoms and, in some case, sponsor terrorism. In the 1970s, the U.S. imported 1/.3 of its oil and we now import 56 percent. In the trend continues, we will be importing 70 percent of our oil by 2025."

The Congressman members called for quick action in providing funding, incentives and leadership "to wean our economy off oil and transform it into one empowered by the use of domestic energy."

Besides cutting oil imports the DRIVE Act would help U.S. car makers by providing funds to manufacture more efficient technologies such as hybrid cars and utilizing light weight materials; develop a domestic alternative fuel economy by mandating incentives for biofuels, creating an alternative fueling infrastructure, and providing further incentives for fuel efficient vehicles; and providing for a nationwide public education campaign.

The Congress members wrote, "The challenge we face is clear. In order to protect our nation and our environment it is essential we use oil more efficiently and develop a domestic economy revolving around clean alternative fuels."

Rep. Engel asked President Bush for his support for the bill when he left the podium after his State of the Union address.

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