S. 1135 (111th): Drive America Forward Act of 2009

Introduced:
May 21, 2009 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
Sponsor:
Sen. Debbie Stabenow [D-MI]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. S. stands for Senate bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on May 21, 2009, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced May 21, 2009
Referred to Committee May 21, 2009
Cosponsors
10 cosponsors (6D, 3R, 1I) (show)
Committees

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

A bill to establish a voluntary program in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to encourage consumers to trade-in older vehicles for more fuel efficient vehicles, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated May 21, 2009.
20 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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Citation

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

5/21/2009--Introduced.
Drive America Forward Act of 2009 - Establishes in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a Drive America Forward Program through which the Secretary of Transportation shall:
(1) authorize the issuance of an electronic voucher to offset the purchase or lease price for a new fuel efficient automobile upon the surrender of an eligible trade-in vehicle to a participating dealer;
(2) certify dealers for Program participation;
(3) make electronic payments to them for vouchers they accept between March 30, 2009, and one year after Program implementing regulations are promulgated;
(4) provide for the payment of rebates to qualifying persons; and
(5) establish and provide for the enforcement of measures to prevent and penalize fraud under the Program. Prescribes requirements, including combined fuel economy, for $3,500 and $4,500 vouchers to offset the purchase or lease price for a qualifying passenger automobile or truck.
Limits the number of vouchers to one per customer, including joint registered owners of a single eligible trade-in vehicle.
Requires a dealer to certify about each eligible trade-in vehicle that the dealer:
(1) has not and will not sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle for use as an automobile in the United States or in any other country; and
(2) will transfer the vehicle to an entity that will ensure that the vehicle will be crushed or shredded within the Program period, and has not been, and will not be, sold, leased, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of for use as an automobile anywhere in the world.
Makes any person who purchased or leased a new fuel efficient vehicle after March 30, 2009, and before the enactment of this Act eligible for a cash rebate equivalent to the appropriate voucher amount.
Prescribes standards which any regulations issued by the Secretary for the Program must meet.
Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly violate this Act or any regulations issued under it, particularly by fraud.
Prescribes civil penalties for any such violation.
Directs the Secretary to make Program information available on an Internet website and through other means.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

Slip Laws

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United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)

  • Title 5: GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES
  • Part I: THE AGENCIES GENERALLY
  • Chapter 5: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
  • Subchapter II: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
  • Section 553: Rule making
  • Title 49: TRANSPORTATION
  • Subtitle VI: MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS
  • Part C: INFORMATION, STANDARDS, AND REQUIREMENTS
  • Chapter 329: AUTOMOBILE FUEL ECONOMY
  • Section 32901: Definitions