The White House wants the Department of Transportation (DOT) to continue to regulate Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, according to the online environmental news source Greenwire (subscription). With the House of Representatives set to hold a hearing on fuel standards — and even Sen. Ted Stevens opening his mind — the Bush administration is clearly getting nervous that Congress may supersede Executive regulations. The White House wants DOT to continue to be a roadblock in the way of sensible fuel standards; and wants CAFE reform to sink in a regulatory quagmire. Jim Connaughton, the White House's chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, doesn't think Congress should serve its Constitutionally provided role of protecting the public: "We don't support Congress picking the numbers because Congress doesn't have the technical infrastructure to do the analysis necessary to do it in a way that will save lives and make sure we're preserving good jobs in America." The White House position is not surprising, considering recent changes to the federal rulemaking process that place corporate interests above the public interest. Congress should ignore the White House, and provide legislation for cleaner vehicles across the nation.

The House has passed a bill today that would strip pensions from any member of Congress "who is convicted of any of certain offenses committed by that individual while serving as a member of Congress, and for other purposes." No one voted against HR 476, especially after the scandals of the previous Congress. A similar measure is included in the Senate ethics and lobbying reform bill that passed late last week.