U.S. Chamber Urges Reform of Fuel Economy Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue today expressed concern about a National Academy of Sciences report that found increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) could lead to greater traffic fatalities.

"Requiring significant increases in fuel economy that result in smaller and lighter vehicles means increased fatalities and injuries to passengers," Donohue said following the release of the NAS report. "The Academy's report clearly says that increased traffic accident deaths are due in part to smaller, lighter cars built during the last 20 years."

The Chamber urged Congress not to include fuel standard increases as part of energy legislation. The Chamber has long been a critic of the CAFE program and supports additional research to determine ways of increasing vehicle fuel efficiency without compromising safety and consumer choice. The leading energy bill in the House of Representatives, H.R. 4, includes language that requires the National Academy of Sciences to study this issue further.

"Everyone supports greater fuel efficiency, but we must not endorse a program that compromises driver safety," continued Donohue. "There are better ways to achieve our efficiency goals than putting drivers at greater risk."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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