Postal Vehicle Modernization Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7969 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 AUGUST 7, 2020 Mr. HUFFMAN (for himself, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, and Mr. CONNOLLY) 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 19:50 Aug 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7969.IH H7969 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7969 IH SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION FOR UNITED 1 STATES POSTAL SERVICE FOR MODERNIZA- 2 TION OF POSTAL INFRASTRUCTURE. 3 There is authorized to be appropriated to the United 4 States Postal Service for the modernization of postal in- 5 frastructure and operations, including through capital ex- 6 penditures to purchase delivery vehicles, processing equip- 7 ment, trailers, and other goods, $25,000,000,000, to re- 8 main available until expended, of which $6,000,000,000 9 shall be for the purchase of vehicles. Any amount appro- 10 priated under this section shall be deposited into the Post- 11 al Service Fund established under section 2003 of title 39, 12 United States Code. 13 SEC. 3. ELECTRIC OR ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES FOR 14 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE FLEET. 15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Any next generation delivery vehi- 16 cle purchased by the United States Postal Service using 17 the funds appropriated under section 2 shall, to the great- 18 est extent practicable, be an electric or zero-emission vehi- 19 cle, and the Postal Service shall ensure that at least 75 20 percent of the total number of vehicles purchased using 21 such funds shall be electric or zero emission vehicles. In 22 this subsection, the term ‘‘next generation delivery vehi- 23 cle’’ means a vehicle purchased to replace a right-hand- 24 drive, long-life vehicle in use by the Postal Service. 25 (b) MEDIUM- AND HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES.— 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Aug 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7969.IH H7969 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7969 IH (1) DATE OF ENACTMENT AND 2030.—Between 1 the period beginning on the date of enactment of 2 this Act and ending on December 31, 2029, not less 3 than 50 percent of the total number of new medium- 4 or heavy-duty vehicles purchased by the Postal Serv- 5 ice during such period shall be electric or zero-emis- 6 sion vehicles. 7 (2) AFTER 2039.—Beginning on January 1, 8 2040, the Postal Service may not purchase any new 9 medium- or heavy-duty vehicle that is not an electric 10 or zero-emission vehicle. 11 (c) COMPLIANCE.—In carrying out subsections (a) 12 and (b), the Postal Service shall comply with chapter 83 13 of title 41, United States Code (popularly known as the 14 Buy American Act), and any applicable Federal labor or 15 civil rights laws. 16 (d) CHARGING STATIONS.— 17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 18 2026, the Postal Service shall provide, at each postal 19 facility accessible to the public, not less than one 20 electric vehicle charging station for use by the public 21 or officers and employees of the Postal Service. 22 (2) FLEET OPERATION.—The Postal Service 23 shall ensure that adequate charging stations are 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Aug 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7969.IH H7969 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7969 IH available at Postal Service facilities to keep the 1 Postal Service fleet operational. 2 (e) PLAN AND UPDATE.—Not later than 180 days 3 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Postmaster 4 General shall submit a plan to carry out this section to 5 the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 6 Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security 7 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Commit- 8 tees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 9 and the Senate. The Postmaster General shall submit an 10 update and progress report on implementing such plan to 11 such committees not less than once every 2 years begin- 12 ning on the date the plan is submitted under the previous 13 sentence and ending on the day that is 6 years after such 14 date. 15 (f) CONTINGENT ON APPROPRIATION.—The require- 16 ments of subsections (a) through (e) of this section shall 17 not apply unless the funds authorized for vehicles under 18 section 2 are appropriated. 19 (g) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con- 20 gress that, as the Postal Service replaces or upgrades its 21 fleet of delivery vehicles, the Postal Service should take 22 all reasonable steps to ensure that its vehicles are 23 equipped with climate control units to protect the health 24 and safety of its mail carriers, especially those working 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Aug 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7969.IH H7969 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 7969 IH in areas of the country that are subject to extreme tem- 1 peratures. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:50 Aug 28, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7969.IH H7969 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS