Transportation Secretary James Burnley called for a...

Transportation Secretary James Burnley called for a joint effort by the major U.S. auto makers and the United Auto Workers Union to repeal Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards established by Congress in 1975. Burnley, in a speech to the Economic Club of Detroit, said the CAFE standard is an ineffective, job-threatening law that should be repealed. Earlier this month, the department said it reduced the standard for 1989 cars to 26.5 miles per gallon from the scheduled level of 27.5 m.p.g. for 1989. The requirement applies to the average mileage attainable by an auto maker’s entire fleet. U.S. auto makers had argued that the higher standards scheduled for 1989 cars would result in plant closings and the loss of thousands of jobs.