It will change your life: Legislation that will slowly but fundamentally change the cars Americans drive, the fuel they burn, the way they light their homes and the price they pay for food cleared the House on Tuesday. President Bush said he will sign the bill today.

In the driver's seat: The bill, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 314-100, requires automakers to increase industrywide vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an average of 35 mpg by 2020 compared with today's 25 mpg when including passenger cars, SUVs and small trucks. It's the first change to the auto mileage requirement since it was enacted in 1975.

Renewable fuels: The Energy Independence and Security Act also requires the production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022, a nearly fivefold increase from current ethanol production levels. So you could soon be filling your car with a mixture of gas and made-in-the-USA biofuel.

Changes at home: It sets new efficiency rules for household appliances and government buildings. (Labels on TVs and computers will likely tell you how much energy they consume.) It also phases out the inefficient incandescent bulb and requires more efficient versions by 2020.

Will it cost more? Its full costs will not be known for years. Democrats said the fuel economy rules, when gas-miser vehicles are prevalent, will save motorists $700 to $1,000 a year. Critics say it will make vehicles less safe and more expensive, raise food prices and divert farmland to costly production of feedstock for ethanol.

NEWS SERVICES