Republican opposition is stalling Senate efforts to keep the popular "cash for clunkers" (CARS) program alive.
The popular program, which gives consumers who trade in old gas-guzzlers for more fuel-efficient models as much as $4,500 each, is likely to end by the weekend unless the Senate approves additional funding.
Senate Republican leaders tried to stop additional funds for CARS Monday,
calling the program a model of government inefficiency and out-of-control spending. The program originally got $1 billion, but all but exhausted that funding last week, its first. The House of Representatives approved another $2 billion on Friday, but the Senate is balking.
Obama administration presses Senate on 'clunkers'
The Senate came under pressure Monday to refuel the stalling "cash-for-clunkers" initiative.
The Obama administration pushed for an additional $2 billion during the weekend since the program could expire as early as this week. The Senate must act as the House did in voting overwhelmingly for the money last Friday.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has declined to provide a firm deadline, and the administration has seemed coy about just how long dealers would be reimbursed. The program will have to be suspended if the Senate fails to act.
'Clunker' sales nearing quarter-million; what now?
The popular but overwhelmed "cash for clunkers" program is moving toward a quarter-million trade-ins with the initial $1 billion in rebates.
Senate skeptics appear to be in no hurry
On Monday, the Obama administration pointed to environmental gains made during the first week of the program, which gives rebates of as much as $4,500 to motorists who trade in gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. As many as
The White House also highlighted recovery news from Ford Motor Co., which reported its first U.S. sales increase in nearly two years.
Republican Spoil Sports
Republican senators are trying to tie the car program to Democratic proposals to overhaul health care and Obama's stewardship of the economy.
""We were told this program would last for several months. As it turned out, it ran out of money in a week, prompting the House to rush a $2 billion dollar extension before anybody even had time to figure out what happened with the first billion," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., the Senate's second-ranking Republican, said Monday that "I don't care about the political risk. I'm concerned about the process and about how the government is going to pay for this . . . $4,500 is a lot of money to give somebody to buy a car who was already going to buy a car."
Source: http://
www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1169912.html
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