Levin Supports Landmark Energy Legislation

Press Release

Levin Supports Landmark Energy Legislation

House Passes Bill Today, Legislation Now Heads to President

The House of Representatives took final action today on sweeping energy legislation, clearing the measure to be sent to the White House for the President's signature. The House approved the energy legislation by a strong bi-partisan majority on a vote of 314-100.

"After years with no energy plan from Congress, it was critical that the new majority pass this historic legislation," said Rep. Levin. "This bill represents a genuine sea change in how our country approaches energy security. It is simply not in our long-term security interests to continue to rely on oil imports from the Middle East and other volatile regions of the world. We need to invest in biofuels from the Midwest, not imported oil from the Middle East."

The Energy Independence and Security Act expands the use of American-grown biofuels in transportation to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The measure also sets new energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting, and buildings, which will save consumers $400 billion through 2030.

The legislation also calls for a 40 percent increase in vehicle fuel economy by 2020, the first such increase by Congress in 32 years. It also reforms the existing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) rules, which for years have discriminated against manufacturers, including Ford, GM and Chrysler that produce a full line of varying vehicle sizes. Unlike existing law, the new legislation allows the federal government to create a new series of attribute-based standards for different sized vehicles. The fuel economy provisions have the support of auto manufacturers, the United Auto Workers, consumers groups, and the environmental community.

"The compromise that has been reached is ambitious, but it has the support of auto manufacturers, the United Auto Workers, consumers groups, and the environmental community," said Levin of the new fuel efficiency standards. "The fuel economy provisions of the Energy Bill will reduce foreign oil imports, save consumers money at the pump, and result in a fairer CAFÉ program for U.S. vehicle manufacturers."

The United States Senate, which approved the energy bill last week on a vote of 86 to 8, stripped out a key provision that would have required utilities to generate 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Republicans in the Senate threatened to block the legislation if the renewable electricity standards were not removed.

"The Senate Republicans' removal of the renewable electricity provisions is unfortunate," said Rep. Levin. "Moving towards renewable energy will help keep mercury out of the Great Lakes and greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, but it also will help create new industries and jobs here in the United States. These are jobs we need in Michigan."

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