Senator Proposes Economic Aid To Automakers That Improve Fuel Economy

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is proposing for the government to help the auto industry with its employees' health care costs if the industry commits to producing cleaner-running and more efficient vehicles, in response to concerns about U.S. dependence on foreign oil. The proposal could foreshadow a Democratic strategy as Congress likely considers a new round of energy legislation in the face of record gasoline prices and fuel shortages following Hurricane Katrina. In a Sept. 15 speech at Resources for the...