Web exclusive posted March 25, 2009, at 2:06 p.m. CST

A bipartisan group of legislators led by Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., recently introduced H.R. 1476, a bill that would ramp up the production of flexible-fuel vehicles. The bill, also known as The Open Fuel Standard Act, would require 50 percent of all cars made or sold in the U.S. by 2012 to be flex-fuel vehicles. By 2015 that requirement would ramp up to 80 percent of all vehicles.

"Competition and consumer choice would end oil's monopoly in the transportation sector, strip it of its strategic status, and protect consumers from price gouging at the pump," Engel said. "We must take action as a nation to break our dependence on foreign oil and simultaneously aid efforts to halt the potentially harmful climate change affecting our planet."

According to information released by Engel's office, this legislation will play a major role in securing American energy independence. The technology already exists to build flex-fuel vehicles at little or no additional cost. In addition, the distribution system that's necessary for alcohol fuels will develop if a substantial amount of American vehicles are equipped for using them. The establishment of such a vehicle fleet and distribution system would provide a large market that would mobilize private resources to substantially advance the technology and expand the production of alcohol fuels, both in the U.S. and abroad.

After it was introduced to members of the U.S. House of Representative, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Bob Inglis, R-S.C.; Steve Israel, D-N.Y.; Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md.; and Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa.