Congress to Quash Gas Guzzlers by 2020

Despite record sales of Hummers, behemoth trucks, and four-wheel-drive vehicles (beloved by soccer moms), the future of fuel-guzzling vehicles looks bleak. The New York Times reports that Democratic leaders in the U.S. House reached a deal late last Friday to raise fuel-economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks by the year 2020. Currently, SUVs and pickups are required to drive at least 22.2 mpg, while cars are required to meet a 27.5 mpg standard.

This legislation, which is part of a larger energy bill slated for voting on Wednesday, would require a 40 percent increase in those standards, and would raise the bar to 35 mpg. The bill aims to conserve energy and cut emissions, but it’s also further evidence of the nation’s unrelenting love affair with four wheels (the bigger, the better). Although it addresses environmental issues, the bill is expected to pass because it plays to consumer concerns about the rising cost of fuel. (For this reason, the bill may please President Bush, who drives a 4WD pickup.)

House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) struck a compromise with several politicians who are notoriously stubborn defenders of the automobile industry. One such congressman, House Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich), eventually agreed to the new standards, on the condition that automakers would continue to earn credit toward mileage goals for the sale of flex-fuel vehicles that run on both gasoline and ethanol. Pelosi said the mileage compromise marks a “historic advancement in our efforts in the Congress to address our energy security and laying strong groundwork for climate legislation next year." If the bill passes, it will be a mere baby step toward a more eco-friendly Congress. Better yet, perhaps the senators will start riding their bikes.

Photo via flickr by sunfell.