Postal Vehicle Modernization Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1636 To authorize funding for the purchase of electric or zero-emission vehicles for United States Postal Service fleet, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 8, 2021 Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. WELCH, Mr. COHEN, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. RYAN, and Mr. LEVIN of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To authorize funding for the purchase of electric or zero- emission vehicles for United States Postal Service fleet, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Postal Vehicle Mod- 4 ernization Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:20 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1636.IH H1636 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1636 IH SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION FOR UNITED 1 STATES POSTAL SERVICE FOR MODERNIZA- 2 TION OF POSTAL VEHICLES. 3 There is authorized to be appropriated to the United 4 States Postal Service for the purchase of delivery vehicles, 5 to remain available until expended, $6,000,000,000. Any 6 amount appropriated under this section shall be deposited 7 into the Postal Service Fund established under section 8 2003 of title 39, United States Code. 9 SEC. 3. ELECTRIC OR ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES FOR 10 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE FLEET. 11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Any next generation delivery vehi- 12 cle purchased by the United States Postal Service using 13 the funds appropriated under section 2 shall, to the great- 14 est extent practicable, be an electric or zero-emission vehi- 15 cle, and the Postal Service shall ensure that at least 75 16 percent of the total number of vehicles purchased using 17 such funds shall be electric or zero emission vehicles. In 18 this subsection, the term ‘‘next generation delivery vehi- 19 cle’’ means a vehicle purchased to replace a right-hand- 20 drive, long-life vehicle in use by the Postal Service. 21 (b) MEDIUM- AND HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES.— 22 (1) DATE OF ENACTMENT AND 2030.—Between 23 the period beginning on the date of enactment of 24 this Act and ending on December 31, 2029, not less 25 than 50 percent of the total number of new medium- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:20 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1636.IH H1636 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1636 IH or heavy-duty vehicles purchased by the Postal Serv- 1 ice during such period shall be electric or zero-emis- 2 sion vehicles. 3 (2) AFTER 2039.—Beginning on January 1, 4 2040, the Postal Service may not purchase any new 5 medium- or heavy-duty vehicle that is not an electric 6 or zero-emission vehicle. 7 (c) COMPLIANCE.—In carrying out subsections (a) 8 and (b), the Postal Service shall comply with chapter 83 9 of title 41, United States Code (popularly known as the 10 Buy American Act), and any applicable Federal labor or 11 civil rights laws. 12 (d) CHARGING STATIONS.— 13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 14 2026, the Postal Service shall provide, at each postal 15 facility accessible to the public, not less than one 16 electric vehicle charging station for use by the public 17 or officers and employees of the Postal Service. 18 (2) FLEET OPERATION.—The Postal Service 19 shall ensure that adequate charging stations are 20 available at Postal Service facilities to keep the 21 Postal Service fleet operational. 22 (e) PLAN AND UPDATE.—Not later than 180 days 23 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Postmaster 24 General shall submit a plan to carry out this section to 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:20 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1636.IH H1636 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1636 IH the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 1 Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security 2 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Commit- 3 tees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 4 and the Senate. The Postmaster General shall submit an 5 update and progress report on implementing such plan to 6 such committees not less than once every 2 years begin- 7 ning on the date the plan is submitted under the previous 8 sentence and ending on the day that is 6 years after such 9 date. 10 (f) CONTINGENT ON APPROPRIATION.—The require- 11 ments of subsections (a) through (e) of this section shall 12 not apply unless the funds authorized for vehicles under 13 section 2 are appropriated. 14 (g) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 15 gress that, as the Postal Service replaces or upgrades its 16 fleet of delivery vehicles, the Postal Service should take 17 all reasonable steps to ensure that its vehicles are 18 equipped with climate control units to protect the health 19 and safety of its mail carriers, especially those working 20 in areas of the country that are subject to extreme tem- 21 peratures. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:20 Apr 30, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1636.IH H1636 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS