Grist.org may be misleading readers about JK's environmental policies [View All]

[demdiva]

An article entitled “The Gas Menagerie” was posted today on Grist Magazine, www.grist.org, an online site for environmental news and commentary. This article, noted John Kerry and Hillary Clinton's votes against raising CAFÉ standards in 2005.

http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2006/07/26/fuel-econ/index.html?source=daily

The Gas Menagerie
Obama leads bipartisan effort to raise fuel-economy standards

--snip --

Together with seven other senators -- Joe Biden (D-Del.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) -- Obama introduced legislation last week that would raise fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. by 4 percent, or about one mile per gallon, each year. Its sponsors say the bill would reduce America's oil consumption by 1.3 million barrels daily within a decade; that amounts to 16 percent of the current consumption of America's passenger vehicle fleet of 8 million barrels per day.

--snip --

But while Hwang says he thinks the bill has a "50-50 chance" of passing in the Senate, Becker is not so optimistic. "I'd be lying to you if I said this had a decent chance of passing in this Congress," he said. "The automakers' stranglehold on Washington is too tight."

This was evident in 2005, the last time a Senate fuel-economy measure was proposed, when a whopping 67 senators -- including John Kerry and Hillary Clinton -- voted against it. And though fuel-economy advocates led by Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) have recently been building steady support for a CAFE reform bill in the House, the Republican leadership has refused to allow a vote on it, fearing it might come too close to passing.

Unless there's a dramatic shift in the congressional makeup after this November's midterm election, contends Becker, the only hope of passing fuel-economy increases in the near future would be "a major supply disruption that sends gas prices through the roof, double or triple where they are today." Sadly, such a disruption -- which could be triggered by a terrorist attack on pipelines or refineries due to escalating conflict in the Middle East -- looks more conceivable than ever.

I found this statement about a CAFÉ standards vote on www.johnkerry.com

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=244878&

John Kerry Says Proposed Fuel Economy Standards Don’t Address Problems with Foreign Oil, High Gas Prices

Senator John Kerry today issued the following statement on the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.

“This is a pessimistic decision. It says that America won’t (be) innovative, won’t lead and won’t create a better future through better technology like we know we can. It is backward looking, and it will bring us more dependence on unreliable foreign oil, more pollution and higher gasoline costs for American families. It protects the status quo and is another lost opportunity to help our security, economy and environment.”

I’m confused. Does anyone know more about John Kerry’s vote on CAFÉ standards last year????