John Thune: “simply put, our substitute has no budgetary score and simply authorizes future appropriations for the annual penalties…”

“simply put, our substitute has no budgetary score and simply authorizes future appropriations for the annual penalties collected each year from foreign automakers who violate CAFE standards. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will work with Senator Salazar and me to clear this important measure. The House has agreed to take up and pass the Thune-Salazar substitute once it clears our Chamber, allowing the bill to be sent to the President for his signature. In light of the very clear message from the American people that they want Congress to do more to increase the availability of alternative fuels, I hope my colleagues drop any objections they have so this measure can be passed by the Senate. If we look at the state of the renewable fuel industry today and the state of our energy situation in this country, it is very clear that we need to be doing more to promote the use of alternative energy and renewable fuels. If you look at the Energy bill that was passed last summer, it included a renewable fuels standard for the first time ever as a matter of policy for this country.”