Washington D.C.— Congressman Eliot Engel and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen have reintroduced the Open Fuel Act, legislation that would require 50 percent of new automobiles in 2020, 80 percent in 2021, and 80 percent in each subsequent year, to operate on nonpetroleum fuels in addition to or instead of petroleum based fuels. The bill allows for the full array of existing technologies – including plug-in electric drive, fuel cell, flex fuel, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, as well as a catch-all for new technologies—to meet the new threshold for alternative fuel vehicles.
“There are many reasons for the United States to allow competition among fuels in the transportation sector – from national security to environmental protection to economic prosperity,” Congressman Engel said. “As of now, Americans have no choice at the pump. When the price of gasoline spikes, we buy it anyway because our cars cannot run on anything else. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If we provide a platform for existing fuels to compete, we can give consumer a choice that will reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy, promote alternative fuels that will create thousands of new jobs here at home, and protect human health by reducing emissions.”
“South Florida is negatively impacted by the consequences of the burning of fossil fuels so it is important to continue exploring alternative sources of fuel in order to expand our energy options,” Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen said.“Providing American consumers with compressed-natural-gas cars, biodiesel cars, flex fuel (methanol-ethanol-gasoline capable) cars, and electric cars will diversify energy consumption resulting in fewer detrimental impacts to our environment via emissions, increased usage of our natural resources, and will help alleviate our dependence upon foreign oil.”
“Cutting costs for consumers, creating jobs, strengthening national security, and improving the air we breathe. This bipartisan bill accomplishes all of those goals and I urge my colleagues to see its swift passage in the House,” added Congressman Engel.
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Bryant Daniels | Director of Public Affairs
Congressman Eliot L. Engel
2462 Rayburn House Building | (202) 225-2464