Political Quotes

“this is an amendment that has been widely discussed relating to CAFE standards; that is to say, the fuel efficiency standards of automobiles and small trucks sold in the United States. Now, I want to quote an argument against this proposal made in a committee hearing on CAFE standards. In effect, this bill would outlaw a number of engine lines and car models, including most full-size sedans and station wagons. It would restrict the industry from producing subcompact-size cars or even smaller ones. Mr. President, you may well ask me when that hearing took place because you were unaware that hearings on this subject had taken place. That question would be well put because that hearing took place in 1974, 25 years ago. That statement was made by automobile manufacturers in connection with the fuel efficiency standards that were discussed during that year and were implemented. As a result of the implementation of those standards, we are saving 3 million barrels of oil per day in the United States as compared with the 17 million gallons per day that cars and trucks, in fact, use. In other words, even from the point of view of a relatively conservative Senator, as I consider myself, we have an example of a highly successful regulatory action on the part of the Government of the United States, a regulatory action that took place 25 years ago and was, for all practical purposes, fully implemented within 6 years of the time of its implementation.”