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S 4908

Gas Money Saved Act

119th Congress Introduced by Ed Markey

The act requires NHTSA to start reevaluating CAFE standards when gasoline prices rise five times faster than inflation, and modestly increases noncompliance penalties.

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4908

Gas Money Saved Act (S. 4908, 118th Congress notation)

Note: This summary reflects the text available for the bill as introduced in the Senate on June 24, 2026 and focuses on the substantive provisions and potential impact.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a formal process to reevaluate the current Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to determine whether they achieve maximum feasible average fuel economy.
  • It also makes modest adjustments to enforcement penalties related to CAFE noncompliance.

Key provisions and changes

1) Reevaluation trigger for CAFE standards
- Trigger condition: If, using data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), national average prices for gasoline have risen at least five times faster than overall inflation over a specified period, NHTSA must initiate a process to reevaluate the current CAFE standards.
- Applicable period for triggering:
- If CAFE standards have not been previously adjusted under this subsection: any 180-day (or longer) period beginning after enactment.
- If CAFE standards have previously been adjusted under this subsection: any 180-day (or longer) period beginning after the most recent adjustment.
- Objective: Assess whether the current CAFE standards are achieving the maximum feasible average fuel economy.

2) Restoration of penalties (enforcement)
- The bill would adjust monetary penalties for noncompliance with CAFE standards:
- Subsection 32912 of title 49, United States Code:
- Penalty for noncompliance in the matter preceding paragraph (1) would rise from $0.00 to $25.00.
- Penalty in subsection (c)(1)(B) would rise from $0.00 to $50.00.
- The specific sections indicate a minimal baseline monetary penalty increase intended to enforce penalties more meaningfully.

Who/what is affected

  • Agencies:
    • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): required to initiate a reevaluation process for CAFE standards when trigger conditions are met.
  • Standards and enforcement:
    • Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light-duty vehicles (and any vehicles affected by the CAFE framework under federal law).
  • Penalty framework:
    • The penalties under 49 U.S.C. § 32912 (noncompliance penalties) would be adjusted upward.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Trigger-based reevaluation: The bill does not mandate an immediate rewrite of standards but requires NHTSA to start a formal reevaluation process when gasoline price inflation outpaces general inflation by a factor of five, using BLS data.
  • Evaluation period: The reevaluation would be initiated after the specified 180-day window (either from enactment or from the last adjustment, depending on prior action).
  • Penalty changes: The changes to penalties would take effect as enacted, modifying the signaling and potential penalties for noncompliance.

Additional notes

  • The bill is introduced by Senator Markey, with Ed Markey listed as a sponsor and a co-sponsor notated.
  • The text indicates the act is short and focused on a trigger-based reconsideration of CAFE standards and modest penalty enhancements.
  • The bill’s title is “Gas Money Saved Act,” signaling an emphasis on potential fuel-cost savings through reevaluation of fuel economy policy, contingent on gasoline price dynamics.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-languagePlain-language comparison to current law, or outline potential policy implications and stakeholder considerations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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