Edited sentence: " John Irons, research and policy director for the Economic Policy Institute, said that in improving the economy, "in terms of bang for the buck, this is up there pretty high up there." To also help the environment, the White House announced a plan in May 2009 requiring automakers to meet a minimum fuel-efficiency standard of 35.5 miles a gallon by model year 2016.National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokesman Eric Bolton pointed out the newer cars purchased under the program are also "considerably safer than the old clunkers they are replacing