PHOTOS: If you missed yesterday's email alert, you get another chance to see many of the people who saw and drove our cars. They're at http://www.calcars.org/­phevs-in-dc.html -- it's much like the Set America Free page we pointed to yesterday, but has one more close-up of the team and some active links. At the end of this email is a list of those pictured (we didn't catch everyone). And comment about it at our blog entry, http://www.hybridcars.com/­blogs/­power/­phevs-on-capitol-hill.

CLINTON: http://clinton.senate.gov/­news/­statements/­details.cfm?id=255982&& Today Senator Hillary Clinton gave a long and very broad-ranging speech at the National Press Club on energy policies. Toward the end, after talking about the growing sales of hybrids and prospective improvements in hybrid engines, she said,

The next step is hybrid plug-ins, enabling drivers to use household electricity to recharge car batteries at night. I saw some of these. They were on display on Capitol Hill. You can drive 100 miles or more for every gallon of fuel you put in the tank.

HEARING: We haven't yet explained what that Congressional hearing was that we went to last Wednesday. (See photo of those who testified at the CalCars Washington page.) Here's part of the Committee's press release: http://www.house.gov/­science/­press/­109/­109-263.htm

Washington, May 17, 2006 - Witnesses today expressed unanimous support for proposed legislation that would advance the commercialization of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The witnesses testified at an Energy Subcommittee hearing on the discussion draft of legislation by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act of 2006, which would conduct research and development (R&D) on advanced plug-in hybrid vehicle technologies and demonstrate plug-in hybrid vehicles so as to promote their commercial application in the consumer marketplace. Following the hearing, Members of the Subcommittee participated in a press conference at the corner of New Jersey Avenue and C Street, SE and test drove two plug-in hybrid Toyota Priuses to demonstrate the maturity of existing technology. The vehicle demonstration was organized by Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) and the California Cars [Initiative].

For links to PDFs of testimony (notably including a statement from a Honda representative that was significantly more positive than in the past), see: http://www.house.gov/­science/­hearings/­energy06/­May%2017/­index.htm You can also listen to the audio webcast at http://www.house.gov/­science/­webcast/­index.htm

PICTURED ON OUR PAGE http://www.calcars.org/­phevs-in-dc.html Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy Committee Sen. Robert Bennett (UT) Sen. Sam Brownback (KS) Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) Sen. Orrin Hatch (UT) Sen. Richard Lugar (IN). Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT), Sen. Ben Nelson (NE) Sen. Craig Thomas (WY)

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (MD). Rep. Judy Biggert (IL), House Science Committee Energy Subcommittee Chair Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (NY), Science Committee Chairman Rep. John Carter (TX). Rep. Chris Chocola (IN). Rep. Eliot Engel (NY), Lead sponsor of The Fuel Choices for American Security Act Rep. Phil Gingrey (GA) Rep. Gil Gutknecht (MN) Rep. Bob Inglis (SC) Rep. Jack Kingston (GA), Lead sponsor of The Fuel Choices for American Security Act Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL), Rep. Randy Neugebauer (TX). Rep. Brad Sherman (CA) Rep. Lamar Smith (TX)

New York State Governor George Pataki Former Majority Leader Sen. Tom Daschle Frank Gaffney, President Center for Security Policy Jim Woolsey, Former CIA Director