Toward the end of an article on John Dingell’s ongoing CAFE obstructionism and the prospects of a cap-and-trade system getting through his committee, The Hill drops this tantalizing tidbit:
It is a complex enough issue that Dingell has sought and received from Pelosi an extension on the July deadline to produce legislation, one lobbyist said.
Has anyone seen this reported elsewhere? If Pelosi really does abandon her loudly-proclaimed July 4 deadline for climate legislation, it would be a fairly glaring demonstration of Dingell’s power and a real blow to the image of party discipline Pelosi’s been cultivating.
PS, this is funny:
“I’m not convinced that the system we have now of CAFE is the mechanism we need to have to address the new problems we have,” Dingell told reporters on the eve of a significant hearing slated for Wednesday afternoon that will feature testimony from top executives from the nation’s automakers. “It’s my view we need a new approach and that we need to begin to look at other things.”
“It is my view that we have done very well with corporate average fuel economy. It is now my view, however, that we have to go further,” he added.
Still, the congressman, who has been an ally to the auto industry, said he doesn’t know yet what that alternative program should be.
“I don’t now have an alternative,” Dingell said. “I’m not suggesting anything at this minute.”
A bold stance in favor of Something That’s Not CAFE!
