Durbin Addresses Gas Price Crisis And Call For Higher Fuel Economy Standards

Press Release

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today continued his drive for better fuel economy in cars and trucks, calling on Congress to support Energy legislation now under consideration by the Senate that includes a bipartisan proposal to raise the average fuel economy for all vehicles. The "Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act" raises the average fuel economy standards for all vehicles, including SUVs and sedans, from 25 to 35 miles per gallon by 2017. If this bill were to become law, Durbin said the U.S. would realize a huge fuel savings in just a few years.

"Two years ago, when the Senate last considered energy policy, I introduced legislation that called for higher fuel economy standards," said Durbin. "The Senate wasn't ready for that bill. Since then, gasoline prices have risen 45%. The Senate should be ready now. I know the American people are."

Durbin said that the average fuel economy of our nation's cars and trucks has steadily declined since 1985 when the last fuel efficiency requirements ended. In 1975, when American cars were averaging 14 miles a gallon, Congress passed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) law, which required manufacturers to double the fuel economy of their vehicles to nearly 28 miles a gallon in 10 years.

The Ten-in-Ten Fuel Economy Act would require the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration to increase CAFE standards for all cars, trucks and SUVs by 10 miles per gallon over 10 years - or from 25 to 35 miles per gallon by Model Year 2020 - and an additional 4 percent increase per year until 2030.

By 2025, if fully enacted, the bill's fuel economy increases for cars and light-duty trucks would:

* Save 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, nearly the amount of oil imported today from the Persian Gulf.

* Achieve an 18 percent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from anticipated levels, or the equivalent of taking 60 million cars off the road in one year).

* Save consumers a net $70 billion in fuel costs, based on a $3.12 gas price.

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