Autoblog

Once the Senate removed a big $21.8 billion tax package that Democrats had hoped would be included in our nation's new energy bill, the bill itself began sailing through the halls of Congress. After finally being passed by the Senate on the third try, the bill returned to the House of Representatives, which has to revote on it since the Senate had trimmed a little here and added a little there. The core of the bill, an increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to 35 mpg by 2020, has remained and the House overhwhelmingly passed the revised bill today by a vote of 314 - 100. Thus, we can now officially say that the United States Congress has approved the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. You'll know doubt hear politicians crooning about its historical significance on the news networks tonight, and truth be told, it is a big deal and will force automakers to apply every bit of ingenuity they have to meet the new CAFE standards in time while providing consumers with cars and trucks that they actually want to buy.

The bill will now be delivered to President Bush who has said he will sign it into law tomorrow. Ladies and gentleman, drink up, we have a new energy bill.

UPDATE: Ford and Chrysler's official responses to the new energy bill added after the jump.

[Source: Associated Press, Reuters]