Thank you Chairman Inouye for your continued commitment to working on a bipartisan basis.

 

The bill that the Committee will report today is not perfect, but it is a constructive step toward addressing the nation’s energy crisis and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  The Chairman has worked with the minority to craft an approach that works, and that is designed to avoid any unintended consequences that would adversely impact automobile manufacturers, as well as consumer choice.

 

While I am pleased to join the Chairman on this bill, the first CAFE bill reported by the Commerce Committee since the early 1990’s, I still have concerns about the bill’s treatment of light trucks, which are extremely important to Alaskans.  The increase of fuel economy standards is long overdue, but our approach should not be so rigid that we fail to afford sufficient flexibility to the agency charged with setting standards.

 

I look forward to working with the Chairman and the Members of this Committee as this bill goes to the Senate floor to ensure that the bill is equitable, and efficiently advances the intended policy objectives.