Straight Talk with Sam: Promoting Alternative Fuels and Vehicles

STRAIGHT TALK WITH SAM
Volume 5, Issue 7 February 14, 2005
Promoting Alternative Fuels and Vehicles

Baseball player Yogi Berra is known for his insights. Among them is his pronouncement, "the future ain't what it used to be." That is good news if you are talking about America's dependence on foreign oil.

I have long promoted alternative fuels as a solution to this predicament. They are good for consumers, good for producers and good for the environment. It shouldn't be any surprise then that I am just as supportive of alternative vehicles, especially those made right here in the Sixth Congressional District.

Senator Jim Talent and I have teamed up on legislation to end the proposed discrimination against larger hybrid electric vehicles. The Ford Escape is the first full hybrid Sport Utility Vehicle and averages 35 to 40 mpg in city driving. That is a 75% improvement over the fuel efficiency of a non-hybrid Escape.

Yet in Washington, a proposed law gives vehicles that make less of a gain in fuel efficiency access to High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. While smaller cars do have a higher fuel efficiency number because of their size, larger vehicles make a bigger improvement. I don't think we should penalize companies making significant strides in energy efficiency.

This is also a jobs issue for the Sixth District. Ford employs over 5,000 people at the Claycomo plant and is important to our region's economy. This bill is good for the economy, good for consumers who want a quicker ride to work and good for Kansas City and the Sixth Congressional District.

http://www.house.gov/graves/straighttalk/2005issue7.htm