Close vote likely on fuel economy proposal
WASHINGTON -- The Senate's No. 2 Democrat said today that a coming vote on a proposal to soften legislation calling for aggressive increases in fuel economy mandates would be "very close" and could come down to the level of Republican support.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who opposes the compromise bill, said between seven and nine Democrats were expected to support the measure, including the bill's four Democratic sponsors: Mark Pryor, D-Ark., Carl Levin, D-Mich., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. Republicans Kit Bond of Missouri and George Voinovich of Ohio also support the compromise.
Durbin, the majority whip, said "rumors abound" about a compromise between the Pryor-Bond-Levin bill and the Senate energy bill, which calls for a more dramatic increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, mandates.
