II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 587

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require that automobiles and 

light trucks manufactured after model year 2006 be able to operate 

on a fuel mixture that is at least 85 percent ethanol, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2005

Mr. DAYTON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to require that 

automobiles and light trucks manufactured after model 

year 2006 be able to operate on a fuel mixture that 

is at least 85 percent ethanol, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Freedom From For5 eign Oil Act of 2005’’. 
2

•S 587 IS 

1 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO PERMIT AUTOMOBILES TO USE 

2 CERTAIN ALTERNATIVE FUELS. 

3 (a) REQUIREMENT.—Chapter 329 of title 49, United 

4 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 32902 

5 the following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 32902A. Requirement to equip automobiles to use 

7 alternative biofuels 

8 ‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—A passenger automobile, an 

9 automobile capable of off-highway operation, or a light 

10 truck manufactured that is by a manufacturer for a model 

11 year after model year 2006 and is capable of operating 

12 on gasoline shall also be capable of operating on a flexible 

13 fuel mixture. 

14 ‘‘(b) CONSUMER INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 

15 Transportation shall prescribe regulations that require the 

16 manufacturer of passenger automobiles, automobiles capa17 ble of off-highway operation, or light trucks—

18 ‘‘(1) to prominently display a permanent badge 

19 or emblem on the quarter panel or tailgate of each 

20 such automobile or light truck manufactured by the 

21 manufacturer that indicates such automobile or light 

22 truck is capable of operating on a flexible fuel mix23 ture; and 

24 ‘‘(2) to include in the owner’s manual of each 

25 such automobile or light truck information describ26 ing—
3

•S 587 IS 

1 ‘‘(A) the capability of the automobile or 

2 light truck to operate using a flexible fuel mix3 ture; and 

4 ‘‘(B) the benefits of using a flexible fuel 

5 mixture, including the renewable nature, the in6 creased fuel efficiency, and the environmental 

7 benefits of using flexible fuels. 

8 ‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 ‘‘(1) AUTOMOBILE CAPABLE OF OFF-HIGHWAY

10 OPERATION.—The term ‘automobile capable of off11 highway operation’ has the meaning given that term 

12 in section 523.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regula13 tions (or any successor regulation). 

14 ‘‘(2) FLEXIBLE FUEL MIXTURE.—The term 

15 ‘flexible fuel mixture’ means a mixture of gasoline 

16 and ethanol at least 85 percent of which is ethanol, 

17 as measured by volume. 

18 ‘‘(3) LIGHT TRUCK.—The term ‘light truck’ has 

19 the meaning given that term in section 523.5 of title 

20 49, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 

21 regulation).’’. 

22 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

23 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

24 after the item relating to section 32902 the following new 

25 item:

‘‘32902A. Requirement to equip automobiles to use alternative biofuels.’’.
4

•S 587 IS 

1 SEC. 3. VIOLATIONS BEFORE 2008. 

2 A person may not be treated as being in violation of 

3 section 32911(a) of title 49, United States Code, for a 

4 failure to comply with section 32902A of such title (as 

5 added by section 2) on a date that is prior to January 

6 1, 2008. 

7 SEC. 4. ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE THE USE OF CERTAIN AL8 TERNATIVE FUELS. 

9 The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out ac10 tivities to promote the use of a mixture containing at least 

11 85 percent of ethanol by volume with gasoline to power 

12 motor vehicles in the United States.

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