Rep. Courtney, Dem-led Congress Shift Gears on CAFE Standards, Increase Mileage

Press Release

Rep. Courtney, Dem-led Congress Shift Gears on CAFE Standards, Increase Mileage

Congressman Joe Courtney and the Democratic-led Congress in both Chambers have embraced new standards for automobile fuel efficiency. Congressman Courtney supported The Energy Independence and Security Act because it mandates an historic increase in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards of our nation's auto manufacturers and their fleets.

More than thirty years have passed since the last congressionally mandated increase of fuel economy standards.

"This historic change for our nation's auto industry to embrace higher fuel efficiency standards will reverse the damaging affects of global warming," stated Courtney.

The Energy Independence and Security Act:

-Increases the fuel efficiency of vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 (CAFE), the first congressional increase in 32 years. These provisions will:

-Save American families $700 to $1,000 per year at the pump

-Produce $22 billion in net annual consumer savings in 2020

-Reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 28 million cars and trucks off the road

-Expands American-grown biofuels (Renewable Fuels Standard) to 36 billion gallons in 2022, as recommended by the House Rural Working Group

-Slashes U.S. oil consumption by more than 4 million barrels per day by 2030- more than twice our daily imports from the Persian Gulf

-Produces up to 24 percent of the cut in greenhouse gas emissions needed by 2030

-Saves consumers more than $400 billion through new energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings through 2030

-Creates hundreds of thousands of jobs:

-Promotes massive development of biofuels

-Spurs cutting-edge energy research

-Prepares workers for 3 million new "green" jobs over the next 10 years

-Promotes small businesses as renewable energy leaders.

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