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WASHINGTON -- Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will no longer be allowed to lease gas guzzling vehicles on the taxpayers' dime. The House has approved a new rule, limiting the types of cars to be included in the congressional car leasing program.

The 135 Members of Congress who've chosen to spend federal tax dollars to lease cars for their offices will have to shift to fuel-efficient cars, including hybrids or flex-fuel cars. If they choose to stick with gas guzzlers, they'll have to begin paying for their leases out of their own pockets. The rules take effect once the current lease expires or on January 1, 2009, whichever is earlier.

Missouri Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver told Environment and Energy Daily newspaper most members of Congress lease cars that are not considered fuel-efficient by the EPA. That includes members who lease S.U.V.'s, luxury town cars, and minivans.

Pennsylvania Republican Bill Shuster will have to pick up the tab himself, if he wins re-election and again chooses to lease his Chrysler Town and Country.

A spokesman said Pennsylvania Republican Rep. John Peterson, who spends about $800 federal tax dollars a month to lease a 2007 Chevy Tahoe, would not qualify for the lease program next year. Peterson, however, is retiring in December.

To read the new "no-lease" list, click on the website below. The model of each car is listed beneath the first column. To determine if it'll be allowed under the new rules, read beneath the final column titled "SMARTWAY".

PDF file of the list.

Source link.

No Aston-Martin's...what the hell is a congressman supposed to drive?!?!

How much do congresspeople make, anyone know?

Thanks.

I wonder how many congressmen will still pay for Hummers

I see more women at work driving hummers than men...lol

It makes them feel bigger??? The one woman is maybe 5 foot wearing heels

Could be.

There aren't too many people out there who think the prius looks good. It's a very mediocre looking vehicle. 45+ mpg has an effect on opinion though lol

For my next company car, I'm not allowed to get an SUV. They've removed those from our list of acceptable cars. However, that means I'm stuck with the POS Chrysler Sebring (no offense to any that have/like them...I cannot stand them!). They're doing this in an effort save money, more than anything. But, I didn't want an SUV this time, circumstances dictated that I get one though...I will NOT get the Sebring and they took away my other non-SUV choice.

You're only choice is a Sebring?

For now, but I'm hoping by next year (when I have to give back the Liberty), they'll switch to a different make of car.

I vote for Mazda! Hell, I'd vote to go back to Pontiac (I LOVED my Grand Prix)

Back to the subject at hand, I'd love to see this list amended to exclude all foreign made cars. Granted sometimes the line between domestic and foreign is pretty unclear, but they could come up with something. I drive an imported car, but I feel american taxpayer dollars should go towards american companies, at least cars that are built in the states...

A Honda Civic is more American than a most Fords

Agreed. I think built in the states would be about the best way to do it...

I use to LMAO when somebody said I,m buying a Crown Vic because it's make in America, when 78 percent of it was mode over seas

I always get a laugh out of the comment "We should buy American to support American workers"...

Honda and Toyota are building plants in the US creating jobs for Americans, while the domestics are closing plants.

What I find funny is that most people have no idea

I used to love when Chrysler was a german company and everyone thought it was still american...

Yep they had no clue