Russ Feingold: “I support the Senate motion to instruct the Conferees on fuel economy standards. This issue has been controversial in my…”

“I support the Senate motion to instruct the Conferees on fuel economy standards. This issue has been controversial in my state, and I believe its effect on automobile fuel economy standards is not well understood. My vote today is about Congress getting out of the way and letting a federal agency meet the requirements of federal law originally imposed by Congress. I support this motion because I am concerned that Congress has for more than 5 years blocked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the federal Department of Transportation (DOT), from meeting its legal duty to evaluate whether there is a need to modify fuel economy standards by legislative rider since Fiscal Year 1996. The motion instructs the Conferees not recede to Section 318 of the House bill. As I made clear last year, I have made no determination about what fuel economy standards should be. NHTSA is not required under the law to increase fuel economy standards, but it is required to examine on a regular basis whether there is a need for changes to fuel economy standards. NHTSA has the authority to set new standards for a given model year taking into account several factors: technological feasibility, economic practicability, other vehicle standards such as those for safety and environmental performance, and the need to conserve energy. I want NHTSA to fully and fairly evaluate all the criteria, and then make an objective recommendation on the basis of those facts.”