Political Quotes

“finally, it has been suggested that the Honda manufacturing motor company is supporting the effort to get the 36 miles per gallon. Today's National Journal Congress Daily on page 9 reports that it opposes the bill sponsored by Senators Kerry and McCain, and it says it supports the measure supported by the distinguished Senator from Michigan and myself. Honda's representative in Washington said: The Kerry provision is just too aggressive. Ultimately, NHTSA ought to decide the standard. The Levin-Bond amendment would do that. For all those who have complained that there is going to be no progress, that it is going to be in the hands of the auto companies, I refer them simply to the Levin-Bond amendment which says that NHTSA must increase fuel economy, it must do so in consideration of the scientific and technological information developed and presented in the National Academy of Sciences proposal. Their report is called ``The Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Fuel Economy Standards.'' We are seeking to do something that is rather unusual, and that is to say, use the best science, the best economics, continue to make progress but do not throw hundreds of thousands of people out of work, do not endanger lives, and do not destroy consumer choice. This is not a command-control economy like the old Soviet Union where we could say we are going to put out one car and that is what you are going to drive. Frankly, American consumers have developed their own tastes.”