Issa: Obama used bailout to get higher mpg
WASHINGTON, Aug 10, 2012 -- UPI
A House committee leader charged President Obama used the
auto bailout to coerce U.S. automakers into agreeing to higher
mileage standards.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight
and Government Reform Committee, said Friday the standards were
negotiated when the U.S. auto industry was financially dependent
on the federal government, The Hill reported.
"In the wake of a massive taxpayer funded bailout of General
Motors and Chrysler, the Obama administration took aggressive
action to force a rule-making process that reflects ideology
over science and politics over process and law," Issa said in a
statement.
Democrats in Congress and environmental groups criticized
Issa for attacking the emission requirements, known as Corporate
Average Fuel Economy, standards requiring cars to get 54.5 miles
per gallon by 2025.
"The automotive industry is one of the greatest economic
comebacks of all time, but Republicans want to run it off the
road," Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said in statement.
Markey tied Issa's opposition to the standards to the
presidential campaign, saying presumptive Republican
presidential nominee Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans
"seem committed to taking the American consumer out of the
driver's seat and putting Big Oil behind the wheel of America's
energy agenda."
The Truman National Security Project's "Operation Free" said
Issa's comments were "misguided."
"Congressman Issa has once again failed to understand that
strong CAFE standards will help keep America safe," Brandon
Fureigh, the group's advocacy director, said in a statement.
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