US: In Washington, Ford's Mulally pushes for national fuel economy standard

Detroit Free Press (Washington, D.C.) - Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally made the rounds in Washington today, advocating for continued focus on U.S. manufacturing growth and for a single nationwide standard for fuel economy.

Despite some concerns that U.S. auto sales might disappoint in May, Mulally said he believed the U.S. economy was "still expanding" and moving in a positive direction.

Mulally made those remarks after meeting on Capitol Hill with about two dozen House freshman and other veteran representatives, including House Speaker John Boehner and Michigan Rep. John Dingell. He also met with top White House aides including Obama's chief of staff, Bill Daley, and senior adviser David Plouffe.

High on Mulally's agenda: the upcoming debate over fuel economy rules to govern vehicles for 2017 and beyond.

Mulally said Ford believed "one national standard" for the new targets would be "the most efficient way" for automakers to deal with the new regulations. He said he preferred the negotiations to play out "like the last time" – a reference to California's voluntary decision last year to forego setting its own revised standard through 2016.

But California, which has indicated it now favors requirements as high as 60 miles per gallon by 2025, could still go its own way if it doesn't like the new federal proposal. That scenario is something Ford and other automakers are very much hoping to avoid.

Rep. Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit, said Mulally focused in his meeting with Congressional freshmen on fuel economy and the importance of supporting the U.S. manufacturing sector.

"It wasn't a hard sell in there," Clarke said.