Politics

Select Committee Hearing On Auto Industry Assistance

By Karina

This morning the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is holding a hearing to examine the energy independence implications of assistance to the U.S. auto industry currently under consideration by Congress.

From the Select Committee:

As Congress considers a multi-billion dollar program of loans to America?s auto industry, many measures of success or failure exist for the industry and the government?s attempts to help the automakers. Chief among those measures of success is how effectively America?s auto industry, and the industry as a whole, is transformed to build cars for the future that reduce our dependence on oil. Will the auto industry meet the fuel economy rules passed by Congress and signed into law nearly a year ago, which could revitalize the industry? Should American taxpayers expect even higher fuel economy performance in return for their investment of additional billions in loans? Do the auto companies? plans impair their ability to meet the current fuel economy regime?

Watch the hearing live via webcast>>

Read prepared testimony:

Chairman Edward J. Markey (.pdf)>>

Ms. Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen (.pdf)>>

Mr. Reuben Munger, Chairman and Co-founder, Bright Automotive (.pdf)>>

Dr. Peter Morici, Professor of International Business, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland (.pdf)>>

Mr. Geoff Wardle, Director of Advanced Mobility Research, Art Center College of Design (.pdf)>>

Mr. Richard Curless, Chief Technical Officer, MAG Industrial Automation Systems (.pdf)>>

Full post as published by The Gavel on December 09, 2008 (boomark / email).