 Download this press release as a PDF document.
Washington, DC--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--December 10, 2007--The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), the largest national advocate for over 2.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses is helping lead business and Hispanic leaders in an effort to urge Congressional approval of a legislative agreement on a nationwide fuel economy program. The legislation passed by a vote of 235 to 181 in the House and negotiations are ongoing for Senate passage. USHCC President and CEO Michael L. Barrera sent a letter to Congress earlier this week, which has since been used by Representative Hilda L. Solis (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Health and the Environment, and Representative Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) to promote the fuel economy agreement.
"Many of the Hispanic small businesses that we represent, such as those in the construction and supply industries, depend greatly on the operation of light trucks for the effective functioning of their businesses," said David C. Lizárraga, USHCC Board Chair. "We commend the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for recognizing the importance of this issue and supporting the Hispanic business community in this endeavor."
In the effort to deal with rising prices for oil and gasoline, lawmakers are considering various proposals that would increase the mandatory minimum fuel economy standards, or CAFE as abbreviated in legislation. This is measured by an average of how many miles a vehicle can travel per gallon of gasoline in highway and urban settings. Several proposals emerged with competing visions of the regulation, but Congressional leaders announced a compromise agreement on November 30th that reconciled those differing proposals.
“The USHCC believes in the need to promote the long term sustainability of auto manufacturing in the United States and enthusiastically supports this agreement that balances energy security and the needs of our economy” said Michael L. Barrera, USHCC President and CEO. “We are thankful to both Representatives Solis and Grijalva for their leadership and support on this important effort.”
About the United States Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of more than 2.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate more than $380 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Uruguay.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information about the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, please visit the USHCC Web page at http://www.ushcc.com/about on USHCC’s information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of release, but may have since changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact USHCC’s Communications Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.ushcc.com/contact.html.
|
CONTACT
For more information, press only:
Noemí Pérez for USHCC, (202) 715-0485
or
Erica Baca for USHCC, (202) 842-1212 ext. 483 |
|
