Kildee Calls for Funding to Retool for Advanced Technology Vehicle Production

Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan coalition of over 70 U.S. House Members have sent a letter to House leadership urging funding be provided for a program to help American auto manufacturers build advanced technology vehicles.  The lawmakers are requesting $3.75 billion to activate the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program, which was authorized but not funded in the Energy Independence and Security Act last year.  This amount would fully fund the program, providing up to $25 billion in low-interest credit to U.S. automakers and parts suppliers to retool manufacturing facilities to build fuel saving vehicles such as plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles and their key components. 

 

Lawmakers are urging House leadership to include the funding in any economic stimulus package that will be considered by Congress in the coming months.

 

Similar efforts are being led in the Senate by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).  The effort to garner support for this program is being led in the House by U.S. Representatives Sander Levin (D-MI), Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Betty Sutton (D-OH). 

 

“Funding this new program is critical to the future of the U.S. auto industry, as well as our nation’s efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil,” said Rep. Levin.  “The federal government must be an active partner in the effort to create these jobs and technologies here in the United States.”

 

“America’s automotive history is rooted in the Great Lakes region, and it would certainly be the ideal location for the rebirth of a greener domestic automotive future and a green economy,” said Dale E. Kildee, Co-Chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus.  “The engineers, the skilled workforce and the infrastructure exist here already but to launch the next generation of automotive technology, this federal funding will be very helpful.”

 

“The health of the auto industry is critical for our Nation and particularly for my district which is home to the Ford plant in Avon Lake. The Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program will help bring renewed vitality to this sector while promoting clean car technology,” said Congresswoman Betty Sutton.  “Not only is this good for our economy, but it will help clean up our environment while reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

 

 

To view a PDF of the letter with Member signatures, click here.

 

 

Text of the letter:

 

 

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Boehner, Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis:

 

            We are writing to urge you to include funding in any future economic stimulus package or supplemental appropriations bill to help create green collar jobs for American workers and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of oil.  We respectfully request that the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program authorized in the Energy Independence and Security Act be activated.  Fully activating the program will require $3.75 billion in funding to provide up to $25 billion in low-interest credit to U.S. automakers and parts suppliers. 

 

            Section 136 of the Energy Independence and Security Act authorized the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program to encourage retooling of existing plants to produce the next generation of vehicles.  This incentive program will make it more economically feasible for U.S. auto manufacturers and part suppliers to go forward with the retooling of their facilities by providing low-interest credit for up to 30 percent of the cost of retooling a manufacturing facility in the U.S. to produce advanced technology vehicles (such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, advanced direct injection diesels, and fuel cell vehicles) or their key components.  Retooling will also create jobs for American workers by ensuring that the vehicles of the future are made in the United States.

 

            Retooling plants to produce advanced technology vehicles will greatly reduce our consumption of oil and move our country more quickly towards energy independence.  We need a strong partner in the federal government to help invest in advanced technologies so we can create jobs and produce fuel-saving vehicles here in the United States.  Thank you for your consideration of this critical request.

 

Sincerely,