Fight Brews Over Automakers' Fuel-Economy Rules

With the Senate likely to review Bush's energy plan this winter, battle lines are forming over raising manufacturers' CAFE standards -- Corporate Average Fuel Economy -- governing their fleets' overall energy efficiency, according to The Wall Street Journal. The administration closely guards its review of the CAFE standards. Former Bush rival Steve Forbes has urged Republican lawmakers to "stand up and fight" any rise as "yet another tax increase on families." But some in industry and in environmental groups say Bush could avoid a Senate stalemate over his energy bill by supporting standards that require higher mileage.