Sell Fuel Efficient Cars Act of 2008 Targets Low Income Families
I live in a rural, mountainous area dominated by low income families. It is not uncommon for these families to be driving old cars that are barely running and emit black soot from their tail pipes. They often leak oil and are certainly not fuel efficient. Most of these families’ yards are littered with old cars up on blocks. We joked when it was announced that John McCain had 13 cars that mountain people would not find this shocking, except if the story reported that all the cars ran and had four tires.
All jokes aside, the Senate realizes low income families need help affording more fuel efficient cars.
Early in December 2008, the Sell Fuel Efficient Cars Act of 2008 (3737) was introduced into the Senate. This bill would provide a $10,000 incentive for low-income families to trade in their old cars for newer, more fuel efficient models.
Under this 3737, families with incomes less than $40,000 can trade in cars that are over ten years old for cars made in the USA, as long as they don’t own more than three registered vehicles. The new cars must come from companies with “operations in the United States, the failure of which would have a systemic adverse effect on the overall economy of the United States or a significant loss of United States jobs, as determined by the Secretary”. The autos must get at least 25 mpg and at least 4.9 mpg better than the traded car. The old cars will be destroyed by the US government. The full text of the Sell Fuel Efficient Cars Act of 2008 is available on AutoblogGreen.
I think this bill is a good idea, but it is doubtful it will pass. Low income families need help purchasing more efficient cars, but so do most Americans in this recessive economy. I also think the act should require replacement cars be hybrids, EVs, hydrogen, etc. 25 mpg is not enough in my opinion. We do need to get old polluting cars off the road, but we should replace them with real solutions.
Image: René Ehrhardt on Flickr under a Creative Commons License
That is AWESOME!! This is exactly what we need to jumpstart the American
economy and begin to creating new
American jobs.