2009 Cash for Clunkers Bill for U.S. Consumers

Program Details on Official Government Website, cars.gov

Jun 23, 2009

Learn where to find Cash for Clunkers 2009 program details. Obama to sign Consumer Assistance to Recycle & Save Act as part of war funding bill.

The Cash for Clunkers program is the unofficial name of the economic stimulus measure described in the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009.

This act is part of a broader Supplemental Appropriations Act, which is primarily a war funding measure, passed by the United States House of Representatives and Senate in June 2009.

Obama to Sign Clunker Bill

The Cash for Clunkers bill is expected to become a reality once President Barack Obama signs the war funding bill in the near future. President Obama is fully expected to sign this bill; in fact, the official program website, cars.gov, states “President Obama will sign into law a program NHTSA is calling the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS).”

The premise behind the Cash for Clunkers program is simple and best described by cars.gov. This website reads, “The Car Allowance Rebate System is a new program from the government that will help you pay for a new, more fuel efficient car or truck from a participating dealer when you trade in a less fuel efficient car or truck.”

Official U.S. Government Cash for Clunker Website, cars.gov

The U.S. Department of Transportation, or more specifically, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is maintaining the official Car Allowance Rebate System website, cars.gov. On this website, Americans can currently find a program rollout schedule, actual text of the CARS legislation, and plain language explanations of the act’s provisions.

The program rollout schedule currently indicates that the program is slated to begin in late July 2009 and end on November 1, 2009. This means that individuals will only have a few months to take advantage of this program.

As new information is available, United States consumers and car dealers should refer back to cars.gov for official updates. Prospective car buyers and sellers can even sign up for email updates via a link on the bottom right side of the home page.

2009 Cash for Clunkers Program Details to Follow

According to the text of the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009, exact program details may not be available until 30 days after enactment. As American consumers await further clarification, they should review the guidance currently posted on cars.gov.

In the meantime, see analysis of the Cash for Clunkers legislation by Suite101 Personal Budgeting and Finance writer, Lena Gott, in the following articles:

The cars.gov website also provides the text of Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009 legislation (only that specific excerpt of the broader Supplemental Appropriations Act) in PDF format. Individuals can access this by clicking on the “Law” tab.

The copyright of the article 2009 Cash for Clunkers Bill for U.S. Consumers in American Affairs is owned by Lena Gott. Permission to republish 2009 Cash for Clunkers Bill for U.S. Consumers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Jul 16, 2009 7:24 PM

Guest :

I have a 1999 which i brought used but still owe $5100 can the $4500 be applied towards a new car?

Jul 22, 2009 4:47 PM

Lena Gott :

For more information about this topic, visit my complete article list here (copy and paste this URL into your browser): http://www.suite101.com/writer_articles.cfm/lilacgirl77