WASHINGTON (December 5, 2011) -- In an interview yesterday on Fox News, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that if he were elected president, he would stop the fuel economy improvements that are driving the American auto industry’s recovery and saving American families money at the pump. As a co-author of the 2007 stronger standards that led to the new fuel-sipping program agreed to by automakers, environmentalists, and the Obama administration, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today said that Gov. Romney should stop attacking Detroit’s recovery and side with the American driver, not the big oil companies.
 
“Governor Romney should keep his mitts off the new fuel efficiency standards. American-made higher-mileage cars and trucks help automakers, families, and our national security. These strong efficiency standards have been embraced by the domestic auto industry, the auto workers, and environmentalists.  If they are repealed, the only winners would be the big oil companies, who would have yet another excuse for raising prices.”

###