September, 16 2010, 02:33pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Elliott Negin,Media Director,enegin@ucsusa.org
National Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for New Fuel Efficiency, Tailpipe Emissions Standards
A new national poll of likely voters conducted by the Mellman Group
(pdf) found overwhelming public support for raising fuel efficiency
standards and reducing global warming pollution from the nation's cars
and trucks.
WASHINGTON
A new national poll of likely voters conducted by the Mellman Group
(pdf) found overwhelming public support for raising fuel efficiency
standards and reducing global warming pollution from the nation's cars
and trucks.
The poll found that 74 percent of likely voters favor having "the
federal government require the auto industry to increase average fuel
efficiency...to 60 miles per gallon by the year 2025." Sixty-six percent
of respondents still supported the idea even if it added $3,000 to the
price of a new car. However, eighty-three percent of respondents said
they would favor the policy if a $3,000 cost were recouped in four years
through savings at the pump.
Respondents believe that the automakers can achieve a 60 mile per
gallon standard. Eight-six- percent of respondents agreed that
technology either already exists or could be developed "if we made a
serious effort." Only 10 percent respondents thought "the technology
does not already exist and would be very difficult to develop."
A large majority of the respondents believe that it is "very likely"
or "somewhat likely" a 60 mile per gallon standard will reduce their
fuel bills, decrease air pollution, make the U.S. less dependent on
Middle East oil, and protect American autoworker jobs. The poll also
found that the public wouldn't find potential auto industry objections
to the new rules convincing and in one case, seventy-nine percent of
respondents said an argument about the auto industry's past objections
to seat belts, airbags, catalytic converters and fuel efficiency was a
convincing reason to support increasing fuel efficiency standards.
The survey had a sample size of 1,000 and a margin of error of plus
or minus 3.1 percent. It was conducted via telephone between September 8
and 13.
Environment America,
the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club and the Union of
Concerned Scientists sponsored the poll. The groups have formed the Go 60 MPG coalition
to encourage President Obama, the Department of Transportation and the
Environmental Protection Agency to increase fuel efficiency standards to
at least 60 miles per gallon by 2025 and reduce global warming
pollution standards to no more than 143 grams per mile by that year. The
two agencies are set to officially start the process for new clean car
standards later this month. The standards will cover model years 2017 to
2025.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices.
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Gallego Says Lobbyists 'Bought Sinema's Vote' That Resulted in Bank Collapse
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Democratic Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego on Tuesday accused Sen. Kyrsten Sinema—who he hopes to oust from the U.S. Senate next year—of playing a major role in the Silicon Valley Bank collapse by taking campaign contributions from lobbyists that represented the bank and then voting to deregulate it.
Politicoreports that Sinema (I-Ariz.) was one of numerous members of Congress to take campaign donations from Franklin Square Group, which once counted Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) among its clients. In 2018, Sinema—then a Democrat serving in the U.S. House of Representatives—received more than $8,000 from the lobbyists before she voted for Sen. Mike Crapo's (R-Idaho) Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.
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Dubbed the Bank Lobbyist Act by critics, the law rolled back the Dodd-Frank Act—which was passed in the wake of the 2007-08 global financial meltdown—and exempted banks with between $50 billion and $250 billion in assets from rigorous stress-testing and capital requirements. Both SVB and Signature Bank, which are both now under federal government control, qualified for the "medium-sized bank" exemption.
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Gallego asked Monday: "What's the difference between Sen. Sinema and me? When bank lobbyists asked me to weaken bank regulations, I said no. When they asked Sen. Sinema, she asked how much—and voted yes. Now we are all going to pay for her mistake."
On Twitter Tuesday, Gallego wrote that "the SVB collapse is a direct result of Kyrsten Sinema's choice to side with big banks over everyday Arizonans."
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As Politico's Hailey Fuchs, Jessica Piper, and Holly Otterbein noted:
Between 2017 and 2022, Silicon Valley Bank's PAC gave more than $50,000 to the campaigns of nearly two dozen senators and representatives, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. The donations largely went to members—Republicans and Democrats—who served on relevant committees including the House Financial Services Committee or Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) received the most from the PAC, each bringing in $7,500 over the six-year period.
SVB CEO Greg Becker "also made maximum individual donations to the campaigns of Warner and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) during the 2022 cycle," the reporters added, citing FEC records.
Sinema—who has been accused of "cartoonish-level corruption" for coziness with corporations and lobbyists—was excoriated in a Tuesday Daily Beast article by Michael Daly, who called the senator "a wolf for Wall Street."
Daly took aim at Sinema's Sunday statement asserting that "the federal government must now ensure those responsible [for the SVB collapse] are held accountable, while maintaining stability for all Americans who rely on our banking system."
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