Official: Sorry for Touting Asian Cars
Sep. 20th, 2007 06:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unclejimboWASHINGTON (AP) -- A Bush administration official apologized Thursday for a newsletter sent to thousands of government employees that encouraged them to consider fuel-efficient vehicles built by Japanese automakers.
"I deeply regret that our newsletter offended anyone, especially those Americans working in the automobile industry and the millions of people who make American automobile manufacturers successful," said Joe Ellis, the Department of Health and Human Services' assistant secretary for administration and management.
Some domestic automakers and Michigan's 15 House members have complained about an Aug. 17 e-mail sent by the agency to its 67,000 employees asking them to consider a list of a dozen green cars -- none of which were built by Detroit-based companies. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., on Tuesday called the e-mail "way out of line."
The list, from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, didn't include any vehicles from General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. or Chrysler LLC. All of the cars were made by Japanese or South Korean automakers.
Ellis said in a statement that the "newsletter highlighted vehicles not made by American manufacturers, thereby giving the impression that HHS was encouraging employees to buy foreign makes of cars."
n the e-mail, an edition of the department's "Energy News," a quarterly newsletter, the department wrote "fortunately, there are efficient options for a consumer to choose from when selecting a vehicle to drive. ... A couple of high profile (hybrid) releases for 2007 are the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid."
It was produced by the Department of Health and Human Services' office of facilities management and policy, which falls under Ellis' jurisdiction.
Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines said the department "did the right thing."
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said it was nice that the department was apologizing but "I remain concerned that such a communication was sent in the first place."
"It would seem to me that HHS officials should focus upon their mission of ensuring food and drugs are safe, and providing health care to our children, rather than issuing inaccurate advice that appears to endorse foreign made products," Stupak said.
Um... maybe it would help if American car makers actually MADE reliable economical and environmentally friendly cars instead of fricking Hummers!
DUMBASSES!!! (Note to self, need new icon for dumbasses!!!)
EDIT: Forgot the address for the story.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070920/fuel_economy_newsletter.html?.v=2
"I deeply regret that our newsletter offended anyone, especially those Americans working in the automobile industry and the millions of people who make American automobile manufacturers successful," said Joe Ellis, the Department of Health and Human Services' assistant secretary for administration and management.
Some domestic automakers and Michigan's 15 House members have complained about an Aug. 17 e-mail sent by the agency to its 67,000 employees asking them to consider a list of a dozen green cars -- none of which were built by Detroit-based companies. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., on Tuesday called the e-mail "way out of line."
The list, from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, didn't include any vehicles from General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. or Chrysler LLC. All of the cars were made by Japanese or South Korean automakers.
Ellis said in a statement that the "newsletter highlighted vehicles not made by American manufacturers, thereby giving the impression that HHS was encouraging employees to buy foreign makes of cars."
n the e-mail, an edition of the department's "Energy News," a quarterly newsletter, the department wrote "fortunately, there are efficient options for a consumer to choose from when selecting a vehicle to drive. ... A couple of high profile (hybrid) releases for 2007 are the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid."
It was produced by the Department of Health and Human Services' office of facilities management and policy, which falls under Ellis' jurisdiction.
Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines said the department "did the right thing."
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said it was nice that the department was apologizing but "I remain concerned that such a communication was sent in the first place."
"It would seem to me that HHS officials should focus upon their mission of ensuring food and drugs are safe, and providing health care to our children, rather than issuing inaccurate advice that appears to endorse foreign made products," Stupak said.
Um... maybe it would help if American car makers actually MADE reliable economical and environmentally friendly cars instead of fricking Hummers!
DUMBASSES!!! (Note to self, need new icon for dumbasses!!!)
EDIT: Forgot the address for the story.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070920/fuel_economy_newsletter.html?.v=2
