Reversal of Fuel Economy Standards Threatens Long-Term American Competitiveness

I write to urge your opposition to the Trump administration's devastating rollback of fuel economy standards announced this week. The Department of Transportation has slashed federal fuel efficiency requirements from 50.4 miles per gallon to 34.9 miles per gallon by 2031, dismantling nearly five decades of progress in reducing American dependence on petroleum and strengthening our energy security. The administration falsely claims this action will save consumers money. This argument collapses under scrutiny. Congress already eliminated all enforcement penalties for noncompliance with fuel standards in July 2025, rendering this rollback largely symbolic rather than economically consequential. Without penalties, automakers face no financial incentive to comply with any standard. The Department now estimates vehicles will cost $1,300 less—a figure many automotive analysts openly dispute, arguing companies will pocket savings rather than pass them to consumers. More troubling is the timing. Americans are paying $4.48 per gallon at the pump, up dramatically since the Iran conflict began in February. In this environment of economic strain, the administration is actively discouraging the fuel-efficient and electric vehicles that provide genuine long-term relief. The Biden standards would have reduced gasoline consumption by 14 billion gallons by 2050. This administration has chosen to abandon that path entirely. The true cost will be America's competitive standing. While electric vehicle adoption accelerates globally, particularly in Europe and China, our automakers are now discouraged from developing these technologies domestically. Transportation is our largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for more than 75 percent of direct emissions from cars and trucks. Environmental groups rightly promise legal challenges. Congress created these standards in 1975 to address an oil crisis. Five decades later, we face mounting global competition, soaring fuel prices, and documented climate risks. This rollback represents a failure of leadership that will harm American families, weaken our automotive industry's future competitiveness, and abandon proven solutions to our energy challenges. I respectfully urge you to oppose any further weakening of fuel economy standards and to restore the enforcement penalties that give these rules meaning.