WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Bush administration will take the first critical step toward implementing the historic energy bill passed by Congress in December 2007 by releasing a proposal to adopt aggressive fuel economy rules. Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and primary champion of the 35 mile per gallon (MPG) automobile fuel efficiency standard in the House, praised the move.

“I commend the Bush administration for crafting aggressive proposed fuel economy standards that are in keeping with reaching the 35 MPG by 2020 mandate passed by Congress last year. American consumers want and deserve more efficient vehicles and American ingenuity and technology can clearly get us there. By requiring the combined fleet of cars and trucks to average 31.6 MPG by 2015, these standards ensure that the 35 MPG by 2020 goal can easily be met,“ said Rep. Markey.

On Dec. 19, 2007, President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act, which included a strong 35 MPG by 2020 fuel economy standard championed for the last seven years in the House by Rep. Markey. In order to implement that law, today the administration is releasing proposed regulations that would achieve a combined car-light truck fuel economy standard of 31.6 MPG by 2015.

“After years of fighting a fuel economy increase, the Bush administration is showing faith in the American auto industry’s ability to reform. I only hope the administration will start showing the same faith in the ability of the utilities and other industries to make similar moves to end America’s untenable reliance on dirty fossil fuels that pollute our planet,” concluded Rep. Markey.