Fuel Economy Increase Is Good Conservative Policy

June 22, 2007

Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), a national grassroots organization, is pleased with the Senate's approval Thursday of stronger fuel economy standards for motor vehicles.

"Today's action is years overdue. The benefits of enacting stronger fuel economy standards are too significant to be ignored. This is one of the biggest steps that Congress can take to reduce the burden of high gasoline prices for the American consumer. It is also the best thing that Congress can do to ensure that Detroit's automakers produce vehicles that can compete in the face of high energy prices," REP Government Affairs Director David Jenkins said.

"There is nothing conservative about waste. Energy conservation, the practice of minimizing waste, is something every conservative should support," Jenkins said.

Greater fuel economy will deliver significant benefits. In addition to reducing fuel bills, stronger economy standards will strengthen national security and reduce emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

"Oil revenues are a cash register for terror groups and wayward regimes that wish us ill. By reducing demand for oil, the U.S. would ease market pressures that push the price of oil upward. High gas prices are a tax on Americans that subsidizes Iran's nuclear ambitions," REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso said.

"Efficiency savings would lower emissions of carbon dioxide and other air pollution while buying time to develop long-term alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, including cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and liquid fuels derived from carbon-sequestered coal," DiPeso said.

"Now is the time for a doable but aggressive increase in fuel economy standards that will make our country more secure, strengthen our economy, and reduce emission that increase the risks to the global climate. We urge the House to concur with the Senate's action and President Bush to sign fuel economy legislation into law," Jenkins said.