Bryan’s fuel-consumption amendment loses

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Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Sept. 16, 1999 | 11:01 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday defeated an amendment that would have allowed the U.S. Department of Transportation to study whether cars and trucks -- particularly popular gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles -- should be subject to stricter fuel economy standards.

The measure was defeated in a 40-55 vote.

The amendment to a transportation spending bill would have authorized a study of whether federal fuel standards -- 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 20.7 for light trucks -- should be studied. Auto makers opposed the measure, and Michigan senators spoke out against it.

Among the three senators leading the push for the amendment was Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev. Joining Bryan in voting for the amendment was fellow Nevada Democrat Harry Reid.

Bryan expected senators to defeat the bill, but he was encouraged 40 senators supported it. That's because Clinton could signal that he will veto a bill without the fuel standards amendment, and the Senate could vote to support the amendment after all.

"Clearly, we got a better vote tally than we thought we would," Bryan said after the vote Wednesday night.