WATCHING WASHINGTON CAFE AND FTA ISSUES

with Patrick Crow National Energy Strategy legislation got a setback last week when the Senate energy committee could not agree on increasing the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new U.S. cars. The panel rejected 14-5 as too tough an amendment similar to the bill by Sen. Richard Bryan (D-Nev.) that would increase CAFE to 40 mpg by 2001. And it rejected 13-6 as too weak a compromise by Chairman Bennett Johnston (D-La.) calling for a 37 mpg CAFE by 2006.