PUBLISHED 7-2-2007

House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi must take steps to ensure that the Senate’s passage of higher fuel-efficiency standards does not run out of gas in her chamber.

By a vote of 65-27, the Senate passed an increase in the corporate average fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks from 25 miles per gallon to 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020.

The vote was a realization of the impacts of global warming, high fuel prices and pressure from states like California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The problem for the bill is in the House of Representatives.
 
There, Rep. John Dingell, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee wants to make the Senate measure a part of a much larger  bill emphasizing alternative energy and using such things as pollution offsets, incentives for energy-efficient “green buildings” and the like.

It is no coincidence that Dingell wants jurisdiction over the bill. He represents Detroit and has long protected the auto industry. He promises “grand, good bare-knuckle fight” on the fuel economy measure.

Pelosi has the authority as Speaker to bring the Senate bill to a vote on its own, without being buried and amended to nothing as part of a much larger and more complex bill.
We hope she does that, even if it risks the ire of Dingell, who has been an ally of Pelosi’s more often than not.