Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the announcement of an agreement on a new fuel economy standard of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, a 5 percent annual improvement.
“I am pleased that the White House has taken the initiative to put together a path toward a more energy-independent America.
“In my ‘Oil Independence for a Stronger America’ proposal, I advocated for a 6 percent annual improvement for cars over current mileage standards – that standard combined with aggressive adoption of electric vehicles, is the single biggest step we can take toward ending our dependence on foreign oil. Today’s agreement doesn’t go quite that far but it is a big stride in the right direction.
“We must do more though if we are going to end our addiction to overseas oil. Boosting deployment of electric vehicles, expanding use of advanced biofuels, and working to make moving freight more efficient are all keys to finally achieving oil independence.”
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