Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Cash for Clunkers

AP: Obama Administration Won’t Release Full Data on ‘Cash for Clunkers’

A $2 billion renewal of "cash for clunkers" is now almost assured, with GOP senators easing up on their threat of a filibuster and one key Democrat remarking that "the statistics [for the program] are much better than everyone thought."

But if the "clunkers" data is so successful, why won't the U.S. DOT release it in full? From the AP:

The Obama administration is refusing to release government recordson its "cash-for-clunkers" rebate program that would substantiate — orundercut — White House claims of the program's success, even as thepresident presses the Senate for a quick vote for $2 billion to boostcar sales.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Sunday thegovernment would release electronic records about the program, andPresident Barack Obama has pledged greater transparency for hisadministration. But the Transportation Department, which has collecteddetails about 157,000 rebate requests, won't release sales data thatdealers provided showing how much U.S. car manufacturers are benefitingfrom the $1 billion initially pumped into the program.

Some initial numbers on "cash for clunkers" have been circulating widely in Washington as the White House prods senators to approve the $2 billion infusion before leaving town this weekend for a month-long recess.

Yet only about half of the 250,000 auto sales attributed to the program have been processed so far, according to lawmakers, casting doubt on the definitiveness of the data.

The non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen filed a Freedom of Information Act request today seeking more detailed numbers on "clunkers" sales. As Streetsblog Capitol Hill reported yesterday, the DOT is also declining to release details on the deal it signed with Citigroup, beneficiary of a $45 billion government bailout, to help process "clunker" deals.

What's no secret, however, is LaHood's ideal choice of a new car. "I have my eye on an Explorer, four-wheel drive," he told MSNBC yesterday. The 2010 Explorer 4WD gets a combined 16 miles per gallon -- barely qualifying it for the "clunkers" program.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

The Brake Podcast: America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

July 15, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Aren’t Falling Fast Enough

Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4 percent last year, but remain well above pre-pandemic figures.

July 15, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Dragging Their Feet

The Trump administration claims the Biden administration left them with a backlog — but they've actually been far slower at getting transportation money to states than their predecessors, a new analysis finds.

July 14, 2025

These U.S. Communities’ So-Called ‘Complete Streets’ Policies Don’t Even Deserve the Name

Any city can call itself a "Complete Streets" champion. But not all of them are walking the walk — and if they don't, a top organization says they'll no longer give them a platform on its esteemed "best of" ranking.

July 14, 2025

Communities Rally To Reclaim Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025
See all posts