Automobile Fuel Economy Act of 2003

        [Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1605 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1605

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require phased increases in
the fuel efficiency standards applicable to light trucks; to require
fuel economy standards for automobiles up to 10,000 pounds gross
vehicle weight; to increase the fuel economy of the Federal fleet of
vehicles, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 3, 2003

Mr. Gilchrest (for himself, Mr. Olver, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Markey, Mrs.
Johnson of Connecticut, and Ms. Solis) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Government Reform, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require phased increases in
the fuel efficiency standards applicable to light trucks; to require
fuel economy standards for automobiles up to 10,000 pounds gross
vehicle weight; to increase the fuel economy of the Federal fleet of
vehicles, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Automobile Fuel Economy Act of
2003''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY STANDARD FOR LIGHT TRUCKS.

(a) Definition of Light Truck.--Section 32901(a) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(17) `light truck' has the meaning given that term in
regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation in
the administration of this chapter.''.
(b) Requirement for Increased Standard.--Section 32902(a) of title
49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``Automobiles.--'';
(2) by inserting before the period at the end of the third
sentence the following: ``, subject to paragraph (2)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) The average fuel economy standard for light trucks
manufactured by a manufacturer may not be less than 27.5 miles per
gallon, except that the average fuel economy standard for light trucks
manufactured by a manufacturer in a model year before model year 2011
and--
``(A) after model year 2007 may not be less than 23.5 miles
per gallon;
``(B) after model year 2008 may not be less than 24.8 miles
per gallon; and
``(C) after model year 2009 may not be less than 26.1 miles
per gallon.''.
(c) Applicability.--Paragraph (2) of section 32902(a) of such
title, as added by subsection (b)(3), does not apply with respect to
light trucks manufactured before model year 2008.

SEC. 3. FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS FOR AUTOMOBILES UP TO 10,000 POUNDS
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT.

(a) Vehicles Defined as Automobiles.--Section 32901(a)(3) of title
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``rated at--'' and all
that follows through the end and inserting ``is rated at not more than
10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect on January 1, 2011.

SEC. 4. FUEL ECONOMY OF THE FEDERAL FLEET OF VEHICLES.

(a) Baseline Average Fuel Economy.--The head of each executive
agency shall determine, for each class of vehicles that are in the
agency's fleet of vehicles in fiscal year 2005, the average fuel
economy for all of the vehicles in that class that are in the agency's
fleet of vehicles for that fiscal year. For the purposes of this
section, the average fuel economy so determined for the agency's
vehicles in a class of vehicles shall be the baseline average fuel
economy for the agency's fleet of vehicles in that class.
(b) Increase of Average Fuel Economy.--The head of an executive
agency shall manage the procurement of vehicles in each class of
vehicles for that agency in such a manner that--
(1) not later than September 30, 2007, the average fuel
economy of the new vehicles in the agency's fleet of vehicles
in each class of vehicles is not less than 3 miles per gallon
higher than the baseline average fuel economy determined for
that class; and
(2) not later than September 30, 2010, the average fuel
economy of the new vehicles in the agency's fleet of vehicles
in each class of vehicles is not less than 6 miles per gallon
higher than the baseline average fuel economy determined for
that class.
(c) Calculation of Average Fuel Economy.--Average fuel economy
shall be calculated for the purposes of this section in accordance with
guidance which the Secretary of Transportation shall prescribe for the
implementation of this section.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``class of vehicles'' means a class of
vehicles for which an average fuel economy standard is in
effect under chapter 329 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) The term ``executive agency'' has the meaning given the
term in section 4(1) of the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403(1)).
(3) The term ``new vehicle'', with respect to the fleet of
vehicles of an executive agency, means a vehicle procured by or
for the agency after September 30, 2006.
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