Jeff Bingaman: “I am pleased to submit today, on behalf of Senator Lugar, Senator Stabenow, Senator Domenici and others, a resolution…”

“I am pleased to submit today, on behalf of Senator Lugar, Senator Stabenow, Senator Domenici and others, a resolution recognizing an exciting private-sector effort to encourage breakthrough technology in fuel economy. This effort, patterned on the Ansari X-prize competition that led to the development of spacecraft that is likely to make commercial space travel a reality, seeks to apply the same competitive spirit among the best minds in the United States to the pernicious problem of our outsized dependence on foreign oil. The competition will launch at the upcoming New York Auto Show and sets an ambitious goal for claiming the prize; the winning entrant must produce a commercially viable vehicle that gets at least 100 miles per gallon fuel efficiency over a series of road trials meant to simulate real world driving conditions. It should be an exciting competition, and it is certainly a worthy goal. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing the innovations they inspire.”