Our letters work.
This is a portion of Senator Burns letter:
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns over the scrappage provision (Section 803), of the Senate energy bill. I appreciate your comments on this issue and I worked to successfully remove this portion from the legislation.
As you know, Section 803 would have created a federally funded program, requiring states to establish scrappage programs for vehicles fifteen or more years old. Owners who turned their vehicles in would have received some minimum payment, and future credit toward purchasing a new vehicle that met Department of Energy guidlines.
I found a number of things troubling about this provision. Section 803 would have required vehicles to be scrapped, rather than used productivly for parts. This would have negativly affected a disproportionate amount of low and middle-income citizens who own and responsibly maintain older vehicles. These folks wouldn't have been able to afford a new, DOE approved vehicle, and they would have been penalized further by increased costs due to a decline in available used parts. In addition, there was no certianty regarding the level of compensation DOE would have given consumers for the scrapped vehicles. Overall, I believed this was a gross misuse of taxpayer funds and I am pleased my colleagues joined me in removing the provision.
Sincerely,
Conrad Burns
United States Senator
Thank you Senator Burns from the M4X4A.