Plug In America Needs Our Help!!!

Legislative Action Alert
June 27, 2007


Dear Bryan,


We need your help - it is time for action! Call your Representative today.


Senate Plugs In....On to the House
The US Senate passed a version of the energy bill last week which includes support for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles along with a significant increase in CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards. We applaud their actions and their courage as a first step toward energy independence.

Now the bill has moved to the House of Representatives where it faces much tougher challenges, especially since the House Committee on Energy is led by Representative John Dingell of Michigan who has vowed to stop key provisions in the legislation at the behest of the automobile industry.

We need you to call or fax your representative today (emails are not
effective) and tell them to stand up to the automakers and pass a bill which supports plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and increased fuel economy. We ESPECIALLY need you to help if you live in a House district with a representative on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

A complete list of House Energy and Commerce Committee members can be found at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/11...ship.shtml#FULL or see the list at the end of this email.

To phone or fax you representative, use this link and just type in your
state and zip+4:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

If you don't know your zip+4, use this link which will give you an
alphabetical list of representatives to choose from:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

This week is critical! Please call them right now.

Thank you for your continuing support.


Chelsea Sexton
Plug In America
Here is an article from the Washington Post which describes the
importance of this issue and what is at stake:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...cle/2007/06/24/

Automakers eye House after fuel fight
By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fight over higher automobile fuel efficiency standards shifts to the House of Representatives this week with big car companies regrouping after a stinging defeat in Senate energy legislation.

"Major changes are still needed to make this bill achievable," Ford Motor Co. government affairs Vice President Bruce Andrews said.

The Senate measure, the first major rewrite of efficiency goals in 30 years, would require the U.S. vehicle fleet of passenger cars, sport utilities, pickups and vans average 35 miles per gallon by 2020, a 10 mpg improvement over today's standards.

Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. called the efficiency provision in Senate energy legislation approved last Thursday a "very aggressive target" and "extreme."

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by industry ally Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, will prepare its energy bill for consideration by the full House. It does not currently include a mileage proposal.

"This is a long process and we are continuing to work constructively to
develop reasonable fuel economy standards that are affordable," said Dave McCurdy, president of the industry's chief trade group, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers, which represents hourly employees at Ford, General Motors Corp., and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group, said the Senate bill threatened jobs.

The auto industry and their congressional allies waged an unsuccessful campaign to replace the stricter Senate efficiency initiatives with more modest targets, but did persuade lawmakers to scale back some provisions.

For instance, the Senate dropped a requirement for 4 percent annual
efficiency gains after 2020 and modified the expected contribution of
alternative fuels to reach the 35 mpg target.

Proponents of sharply higher efficiency, including some consumer and
environmental experts, believe upgrading 1970s-era gasoline mileage
standards under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program is the most viable way to cut oil dependence, although they also support gasoline alternatives.

Mark Cooper, director of research for the Consumer Federation of America, calls it the "sweet spot of energy policy."

Dingell's House panel could not agree on a fuel standards approach, so the committee leadership stripped it from the bill last week and promised to take it up in the fall as part of climate change legislation.

On autos, his proposal would establish grants to increase the availability of alternative fuels, like E85, a gasoline-ethanol blend, biodiesel and plug-in hybrids. It would also create a loan guarantee program for production of advanced batteries, crucial for electric cars.

Although Dingell wants to defer fuel standards, at least one member of his committee, Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey, disagrees. Markey plans to sponsor a fuels amendment, possibly during this week's committee review of the bill or during consideration by the full House.

While an aide would not confirm details of Markey's plan, he has previously advocated updated fuel economy standards that would boost efficiency to 35 mpg by 2018.

"It is our intention that a strong fuel economy provision is in this
summer's energy package. We want to see action this summer," said Markey spokeswoman Jessica Schafer. She said the Senate action may boost support in the House.


Full list of House Energy & Commerce:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/11...ship.shtml#FULL

John D. Dingell (MI), Chairman

Ratio: 31-26
Democrats Republicans
Henry A. Waxman, CA Joe Barton, TX, Ranking Member
Edward J. Markey, MA Ralph M. Hall, TX
Rick Boucher, VA J. Dennis Hastert, IL
Edolphus Towns, NY Fred Upton, MI
Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ Cliff Stearns, FL
Bart Gordon, TN Nathan Deal, GA
Bobby L. Rush, IL Ed Whitfield, KY
Anna G. Eshoo, CA Barbara Cubin, WY
Bart Stupak, MI John Shimkus, IL
Eliot L. Engel, NY Heather Wilson, NM
Albert R. Wynn, MD John Shadegg, AZ
Gene Green, TX Charles W. "Chip" Pickering, MS
Diana DeGette, CO, Vice Chair Vito Fossella, NY
Lois Capps, CA Steve Buyer, IN
Mike Doyle, PA George Radanovich, CA
Jane Harman, CA Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Tom Allen, ME Mary Bono, CA
Jan Schakowsky, IL Greg Walden, OR
Hilda L. Solis, CA Lee Terry, NE
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX Mike Ferguson, NJ
Jay Inslee, WA Mike Rogers, MI
Tammy Baldwin, WI Sue Myrick, NC
Mike Ross, AR John Sullivan, OK
Darlene Hooley, OR Tim Murphy, PA
Anthony D. Weiner, NY Michael C. Burgess, TX
Jim Matheson, UT Marsha Blackburn, TN
G. K. Butterfield, NC
Charlie Melancon, LA
John Barrow, GA
Baron P. Hill, IN




I just contacted my representative in New Hampshire. Please help by contacting yours!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Jun 27 2007, 08:56 PM) [snapback]469136[/snapback]</div>

Thank you madhatter. I made sure that I contaced my rep by phone too. Tell everyone you know.