[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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