|
Oppose Federal Vehicle Scrappage Program
Our efforts to prevent Congress from
including a nationwide “Cash for Clunkers”
program in the economic stimulus package has
been successful – so far. Thousands of
SEMA members and SEMA Action Network (SAN)
enthusiasts contacted House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi in opposition to the plan. The
Speaker’s Office informed us that your
emails, calls and faxes were received and,
thanks to your work, Cash for Clunkers was
not included in the economic stimulus
package introduced in mid-January in the
House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, new legislation (S. 247 and
H.R. 520) has been introduced in Congress to
create a national vehicle scrappage program
which will give U.S. tax dollars to
consumers who turn-in their “gas guzzlers”
to have them crushed. Lawmakers need
to scrap this idea!
Contact Senator Diane Feinstein
(D-CA) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Immediately
to Oppose S. 247 and H.R. 520
The so-called “Accelerated Retirement of
Inefficient Vehicles Act” is Cash for
Clunkers with a twist. Instead of
focusing exclusively on older cars, this
program would target vehicles with low fuel
economy ratings of any model year.
Participants would receive cash vouchers
ranging from $2,500 to $4,500 based on the
model year and whether the replacement
vehicle was a more fuel-efficient new car or
used car (MY 2004 or later).
Fuel-efficient is defined as getting at
least 25 percent better mileage for the
corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) target
for its class. The bill sponsors want
to scrap up to one million cars a year for
at least four years.
There is no evidence that the program
would achieve the goal of boosting new car
sales or increasing fuel mileage. Many
states have considered scrappage programs in
the past as a way to help clean the air or
increase mpg, but abandoned the effort
because they simply don’t work. The
programs are not cost-effective and do not
achieve verifiable air quality or fuel
economy benefits, but they do have a
devastating impact on the many small
businesses that market products and services
for the scrapped cars.
_________________________
Don’t Delay! Please contact
Senator Diane Feinstein and Rep. Henry
Waxman today to urge their opposition to S.
247 and H.R. 520. For those who
responded to our first call for action, we
need you again, along with everyone else.
Contact Sen. Diane Feinstein to
oppose S. 247
• Click here to send an email:
http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe
• Call: (202) 224-3841
• Fax: (202) 228-3954
Contact Henry Waxman to oppose HR
520
• Click here to send an email:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1313&Itemid=1
• Call: (202) 225-2927
• Fax: (202) 225-2525
________________
Talking Points
Oppose the Use of U.S. Taxpayer Dollars
for Accelerated Vehicle Retirement
• I am writing to urge lawmakers not to
approve an “accelerated vehicle retirement”
program. Even on a voluntary basis,
the program will hurt thousands of
independent repair shops, auto restorers,
customizers and their customers across the
country that depend on the used car market.
These businesses are already very vulnerable
in the weak economy.
• An accelerated vehicle retirement
program is flawed since it does not target
the “gross polluter,” an improperly
maintained vehicle of any make or model year
that has poor fuel mileage and dramatically
more emissions due to poor maintenance.
• An accelerated vehicle retirement
program is flawed because it does not
factor-in how many miles-a-year the
collected vehicles are currently being
driven. U.S. taxpayers will be buying
rarely-driven second and third vehicles that
have minimal impact on overall fuel economy
and air pollution.
• Accelerated vehicle retirement won’t
generate many new car sales. The cash
incentive provided will not be enough to
enable a person to buy a new or used
vehicle.
• Accelerated vehicle retirement will
compete with nonprofits that rely on vehicle
donations to raise funds, such as the
Salvation Army, the Purple Heart and other
charities.
• Accelerated vehicle retirement
threatens to disrupt a large and complex
industry which already handles scrappage,
repair, remanufacturing and recycling
issues. This independent industry
provides thousands of American jobs and
generates millions of dollars in local,
state and federal tax revenues.
• Accelerated vehicle retirement ignores
better policy options. Taxpayer
dollars would be better spent as direct tax
incentives to purchase a fuel-efficient new
or used car, without a government vehicle
crushing program. Congress should also
provide tax incentives to upgrade, repair
and maintain existing cars, trucks and SUVs.
There are many commercially available
products and technologies that can
substantially improve fuel mileage and lower
the emissions.
• We hope we can count on you to reject
“Accelerated Vehicle Retirement.”
Thank you for your consideration on this
very important matter.
Please send a copy of your message to Sen.
Feinstein and Rep. Waxman to
briand@sema.org.
|
