Motor vehicles emit a variety of cancer-causing pollutants ranging from benzene to butadiene to formaldehyde. According to the EPA, 56 percent of the cancer deaths caused by emissions of airborne toxics come from motor vehicles. Under the Committee bill, the EPA was required to develop a strategy and regulate emissions from small, "nonpoint" sources of air pollution, including motor vehicles, to reduce cancer deaths by the President's goal of 75 percent. Under the deal that was negotiated by the Administration, motor vehicles were taken out of the equation.

The Lautenberg amendment was intended to reinstate the mandate to control toxic emissions from motor vehicles. The motion to table the amendment carried by a vote of 65-33 on March 8. No was the pro-environment vote.