Barbara Cubin: “I too rise in support of the Bono amendment. I want to speak, however, to the amendment that is coming up after this…”

“I too rise in support of the Bono amendment. I want to speak, however, to the amendment that is coming up after this one, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard increase. Last year in my home State of Wyoming, registration of light trucks outnumbered passenger cars by about 2 to 1. While this statistic may be surprising to some of my colleagues, it is in no way surprising to me. Despite the many advantages that we enjoy living in Wyoming, its cold, harsh, long winters, long-distance traveling and often rugged terrain create additional safety and utility needs to such everyday events as traveling to a nearby town for business or for transporting one's children to soccer practice. SUVs, Suburbans and minivans have replaced the station wagon as the soccer mom's vehicle of choice, because these vehicles provide levels of safety, passenger room and utility that allow an active family to meet their needs. Wyoming's agriculture community also depends on light truck utility vehicles to accomplish the necessary work associated with farming and ranching. It should not take a farmer or a rancher to tell us we cannot haul a bail of hay in a Geo Metro. While that vehicle also has its place in the market, and I do not deny that, agriculture families simply have different needs. Thankfully, the auto industry constantly works to address these needs by building and marketing larger and safer and, yes, more fuel-efficient vehicles.”