By H. Josef Herbert, The Associated Press, December 18, 2007. “Congress by a wide margin approved the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years Tuesday, and President Bush plans to quickly sign the legislation, accepting the mandates on the auto industry. The energy bill, boosting mileage by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon, passed the House 314-100… The White House said Bush will sign the legislation at the Energy Department on Wednesday… The bill also requires a six-fold increase in ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022… While some GOP lawmakers criticized the bill for failing to address the need for more domestic oil and natural gas production, 95 GOP lawmakers joined Democrats in support of the bill. [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid acknowledged that they didn’t get all they wanted — unable to push through a tax package that would have rolled back $13.5 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and used the money to help spur wind, solar and biomass energy development and conservation programs. The House passed the tax provisions, but the Senate fell one vote short of getting it through under threat of a presidential veto and a GOP filibuster. ‘Were going to be back and get the vote quicker than you think,’ Reid said at a news conference with Pelosi. But Democrats said those shortcomings shouldn’t take away from the importance of the approved bill.” Keep reading
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