What's At Stake?

Tell Congress to Strengthen Fuel Economy Standards

The following U.S. Representatives are cosponsoring the Fuel Economy Reform Act (H.R. 1506):

If your representative is on this list, click here to send a letter in thanks for his or her leadership:

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5]
Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1]
Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24]
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3]
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6]
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3]
Rep Bono, Mary [CA-45]
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3]
Rep Butterfield, G. K. [NC-1]
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]
Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10]
Rep Carson, Julia [IN-7]
Rep Castle, Michael N. [DE]
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11]
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11]
Rep Clay, William Lacy [MO-1]
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9]
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2]
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7]
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53]
Rep Davis, Tom [VA-11]
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4]
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1]
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10]
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6]
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5]
Rep Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14]
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17]
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4]
Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6]
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1]
Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY-20]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4]
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19]
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17]
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36]
Rep Hinchey, Maurice, D. [NY-22]
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2]
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2]
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15]
Rep Hooley, Darlene [OR-5]
Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1]
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18]
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30]
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4]
Rep Johnson, Timothy V. [IL-15]
Rep Kagen, Steve, M.D. [WI-8]
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1]
Rep King, Peter T. [NY-3]
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10]
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10]
Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. [NY-29]
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
Rep Lantos, Tom [CA-12]
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1]
Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14]
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5]
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5]
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4]
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4]
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21]
Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5]
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2]
Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13]
Rep Miller, George [CA-7]
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4]
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8]
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5]
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8]
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]
Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8]
Rep Obey, David R. [WI-7]
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1]
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8]
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4]
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7]
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7]
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6]
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19]
Rep Price, David E. [NC-4]
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15]
Rep Reichert, David G. [WA-8]
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9]
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34]
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39]
Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3]
Rep Saxton, Jim [NJ-3]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29]
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13]
Rep Scott, David [GA-13]
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16]
Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7]
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4]
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1]
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13]
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28]
Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4]
Rep Snyder, Vic [AR-2]
Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32]
Rep Stark, Pete [CA-13]
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Rep Taylor, Gene [MS-4]
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1]
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6]
Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2]
Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3]
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12]
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]
Rep Welch, Peter [VT]
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19]
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4]
Rep Young, C.W. Bill [FL-10]

Increasing the fuel economy of cars and trucks is the fastest way to reduce U.S. oil dependence, while saving consumers money, increasing our national security, and reducing our global warming pollution.

Gasoline price instability and U.S. energy security concerns are spurring Congressional action and leadership on this issue. In March, Representatives Edward Markey (D-MA) and Todd Platts (R-PA) introduced H.R. 1506, The Fuel Economy Reform Act, which guarantees that new vehicles will average 35 mpg by 2018 and requires a continuous four percent per year improvement in fuel economy beyond 2018, unless such improvements prove unfeasible. The Fuel Economy Reform Act also gives the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the authority to set size-based fuel economy standards for all vehicles. Such standards, when coupled with an overall fleet target, will give the auto industry flexibility in complying with stronger fuel economy standards, distributing the costs and benefits across all vehicle manufacturers and vehicle classes.

The Markey-Platts fuel economy initiative is both cost-effective and feasible. Many technologies that would improve vehicle fuel economy are already available to automakers—including efficient engines and transmissions, better tires, and high-strength steel and aluminum. Incorporating such a package of modest, proven, conventional technologies into new vehicles would help automakers meet a fuel economy standard of 35 mpg while maintaining today’s safety, size, and acceleration, as shown by the UCS Guardian SUV blueprint.

In a time of gas price instability, the technologies available to increase fuel economy are more cost effective than ever. According to analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the technologies needed to meet the new standards would add about $1,100 to the price of an average vehicle in 2018, an investment that would be recovered in less than four years of driving, assuming that gasoline costs $2.00 per gallon. Over the lifetime of the vehicle the owner would save a total of more than $3,600 in gasoline costs.

In addition to saving consumers money at the pump, the Markey-Platts Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards increase would cut U.S. oil demand by 3.1 million barrels per day by 2025—which is more than our current Persian Gulf oil imports. It would also reduce the emissions of global warming pollution from cars and light trucks by 523 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent per year in 2025, the equivalent of taking about 80 million of today's cars and trucks off the road.

For more information on the effectiveness and impact of CAFE standards, click here.
For more information on the potential for U.S. fuel economy growth, click here.

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