Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel applauded President Barack Obama’s directives to allow California, New York, and 12 other States to set strict auto emission standards, and to require the nation's auto fleet to reach an average fuel efficiency of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

“I have long supported both of these measures. I co-sponsored the Right to Clean Vehicles Act of 2007, which like the President’s directive, would have allowed California, New York, and other states to set stricter auto emission standards. I also supported and voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act, which became law in 2007 and raised CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards for the first time in over three decades.

“As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I believe achieving energy independence for our nation is of the utmost importance. Dependence on foreign oil is one of the greatest challenges that our nation has ever faced -- our national security, economy and environment are all tied to it.

“I encourage President Obama to build upon these measures by supporting the Open Fuel Standards Act, which I introduced last year with my colleagues Reps. Kingston, Israel, and Inglis. The United States transportation sector is 97% reliant on oil, and it accounts for two-thirds of our nation’s overall oil consumption. Every year, 17 million new cars are sold in the U.S. and, almost exclusively, they run only on petroleum.

“To remedy that, The Open Fuel Standards Act would require 50% of new cars sold in the United States by 2012, and 80% by 2015, to be flex fuel vehicles. Flex fuel vehicles are automobiles that can use as fuel any combination of gasoline and alcohol – such as ethanol and methanol. It is important to note that alcohol does not mean just ethanol, and ethanol does not mean just corn.

“Flex fuel vehicles already exist. They only cost about $100 more than the same car in a gasoline-only version. An influx of flex fuel vehicles on America’s roads would increase competition and consumer choice, strip oil of its strategic status, and protect consumers from price hikes at the pump. I am encouraged by the swift action taken by President Obama and I believe that this is the beginning of a new era in America’s energy policy.”