Markey: Ford CEO Call for $9 Gas Unfair Burden on American Families
“If President Bush thinks a nickel tax is anti-growth, what does he think of $9 gas?" asks Rep. Markey(Washington, DC) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) responded today to a call by Ford Motor Corporation President and CEO Alan Mulally for gas prices to be set at $8 or $9 per gallon – a 200 percent increase over current prices. During a panel discussion at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Michigan, Mr. Mulally advocated for forcing consumers to change their behavior through dramatically higher prices at the gas pump.
Meanwhile, President Bush today rejected calls for a five cent increase in the federal gas tax to fund immediate bridge repairs in the wake of last week’s collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, MN. The president cited the increases as counterproductive to economic growth, and highlighted the difficult task of promoting tax increases, especially on already-high gasoline prices.
The Associated Press reported this morning that Mr. Mulally, previously executive vice president of Boeing Co. said yesterday that, “The auto industry can’t solve energy independence, and it can’t solve global warming, but we absolutely want to be part of the solution. If we’re really going to work on this, then the way you get at it is you make an economic decision just like they do in Europe, where the prices are seven, eight, nine dollars a gallon, and our behavior would change dramatically.”
Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:
“Just this morning the President rejected a nickel increase in the gas tax as ‘anti-growth’, making one wonder what he thinks of Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally calling for a $6 per gallon gas tax!
“By opposing fuel economy increases, many in the industry have been digging themselves into a deeper and deeper hole. Little did the American consumer know that at least one American automaker thinks that the hole is a good place to push them in!
“Instead of placing this unfair burden on American families, Mr. Mullaly should be looking for real-world ways to reduce our oil dependence and help families at the pump. It begs the question: if Mr. Mulally were still in charge of Boeing, would he be proposing a 200 percent increase in the price of flying?”
The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
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