[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CHARGING HELPS AGENCIES REALIZE GENERAL EFFICIENCICES ACT
Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 199, S. 2193.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 2193) to require the Administrator of General
Services to issue guidance to clarify that Federal agencies
may pay by charge card for the charging of Federal electric
motor vehicles, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, with amendments, as follows:
(The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface
brackets, and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are shown
in italics.)
S. 2193
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Charging Helps Agencies
Realize General Efficiencies Act'' or the ``CHARGE Act''.
SEC. 2. PAYMENT BY CHARGE CARD FOR CHARGING FEDERAL ELECTRIC
MOTOR VEHICLES.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act--
(1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of
General Services;
(2) the term ``charge card''--
[(A) means a card, plate, coupon book, or other credit
device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property,
labor, or services on credit; and]
(A) means a card, plate, coupon book, or other means
existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor,
or services; and
(B) includes--
(i) a card issued under the GSA SmartPay program; and
(ii) a Fleet Services card;
(3) the term ``covered electric motor vehicle'' means a
passenger carrier that is--
(A) a passenger motor vehicle; and
(B) an electric motor vehicle;
(4) the term ``electric motor vehicle'' has the meaning
given the term in section 601 of the Energy Policy Act of
1992 (42 U.S.C. 13271);
(5) the term ``electric motor vehicle charging station''
means a battery-charging station that permits the transfer of
electric energy (by conductive or inductive means) to a
battery or other storage device in an electric motor vehicle;
and
(6) the terms ``Federal agency'' and ``passenger carrier''
have the meanings given those terms in section 1344(h) of
title 31, United States Code.
(b) Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue guidance
to clarify that each Federal agency may, in accordance with
section 1344 of title 31, United States Code--
(1) charge a covered electric motor vehicle at a commercial
electric motor vehicle charging station; and
(2) pay for a transaction described in paragraph (1) with a
charge card.
(c) Issuance of Charge Cards.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator
shall issue to each Federal agency a charge card for each
covered electric motor vehicle of the Federal agency that may
be used by an officer or employee of the Federal agency to
[charge] pay for charging the covered motor vehicle in
accordance with the guidance issued under subsection (b).
Mrs. FISCHER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported
amendments be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read
a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendments were agreed to.
The bill (S. 2193), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 2193
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Charging Helps Agencies
Realize General Efficiencies Act'' or the ``CHARGE Act''.
SEC. 2. PAYMENT BY CHARGE CARD FOR CHARGING FEDERAL ELECTRIC
MOTOR VEHICLES.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act--
(1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of
General Services;
(2) the term ``charge card''--
(A) means a card, plate, coupon book, or other means
existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor,
or services; and
(B) includes--
(i) a card issued under the GSA SmartPay program; and
(ii) a Fleet Services card;
(3) the term ``covered electric motor vehicle'' means a
passenger carrier that is--
(A) a passenger motor vehicle; and
(B) an electric motor vehicle;
(4) the term ``electric motor vehicle'' has the meaning
given the term in section 601 of the Energy Policy Act of
1992 (42 U.S.C. 13271);
(5) the term ``electric motor vehicle charging station''
means a battery-charging station that permits the transfer of
electric energy (by conductive or inductive means) to a
battery or other storage device in an electric motor vehicle;
and
(6) the terms ``Federal agency'' and ``passenger carrier''
have the meanings given those terms in section 1344(h) of
title 31, United States Code.
(b) Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue guidance
to clarify that each Federal agency may, in accordance with
section 1344 of title 31, United States Code--
(1) charge a covered electric motor vehicle at a commercial
electric motor vehicle charging station; and
(2) pay for a transaction described in paragraph (1) with a
charge card.
(c) Issuance of Charge Cards.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator
shall issue to each Federal agency a charge card for each
covered electric motor vehicle of the Federal agency that may
be used by an officer or employee of the Federal agency to
pay for charging the covered motor vehicle in accordance with
the guidance issued under subsection (b).
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