[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 158 (Monday, September 14, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H4350-H4351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CHARGING HELPS AGENCIES REALIZE GENERAL EFFICIENCIES ACT

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the 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.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is 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).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Keller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to 
revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the 
measure before us.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Senators Gary Peters and Rob Portman for 
their bipartisan work on this commonsense, forward-thinking measure, as 
well as Congressman Ro Khanna and Anthony Gonzalez for championing a 
companion bill in the House.
  The SmartPay Program operated by the General Services Administration 
is the world's largest commercial payment program, serving over 560 
Federal entities. It also is used for the fuel, maintenance, and repair 
of the government-wide commercial fleet.

                              {time}  1500

  With that size and reach comes impact and opportunity. SmartPay 
actively supports the goal of incorporating electric, hybrid, and 
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into this fleet, yet it is not clear that 
it can be used to pay for charging electric vehicles.
  S. 2193 would reinforce this goal by requiring GSA to issue guidance 
clarifying that authorized Federal employees can pay for charging 
electric vehicles using SmartPay, just as they can for refueling 
conventional motor vehicles.
  The Federal Government must lead the way in embracing technology and 
innovations that address society's gravest threats. Climate change is 
at the top of that list, challenging us all to do better.
  If we can rise to this challenge by investing in strategic 
industries, workforce training, and solutions, we can rise from this 
crisis as a safer, stronger, more prosperous Nation.
  I am firmly committed to cutting-edge, solutions-oriented policies 
that support our progress toward a Federal fleet of the future that is 
clean, green, and efficient.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud S. 2193 for its important contribution toward 
this goal, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of S. 2193, the Charging Helps Agencies Realize 
General Efficiencies Act, or CHARGE Act.
  The CHARGE Act would direct the General Services Administration to 
allow Federal employees to use official Federal travel charge cards to 
pay for electric vehicle recharging at commercial charging stations.
  This simple change would help Federal Government employees take 
greater advantage of Federal electric motor vehicle fleet vehicles 
while traveling for official business.
  By ensuring the government can utilize expanding commercial charging 
stations, we can help drive down costs to the taxpayer and avoid the 
need for the government to buy and maintain more electric vehicle 
charging stations.
  If Federal employees must use their travel charge cards to refuel 
their traditional vehicles, they should also be allowed to use these 
same cards to refuel or charge their electric vehicles.
  This is a commonsense and easy step toward modernizing the Federal 
Government and granting more flexibility to Federal employees.

[[Page H4351]]

  As an added benefit, according to the Congressional Budget Office, 
this new policy will not cost the American taxpayers anything to 
implement.
  Further, this new flexibility for the Federal Government and its 
employees to utilize electric vehicles could help bolster the American 
market for electric vehicles.
  As we have learned throughout the coronavirus pandemic, American 
manufacturing is vitally important to our success as a Nation. By 
allowing the increased use of electric vehicles in America, we can 
secure all the American ingenuity and innovation that comes with the 
vehicles of the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
S. 2193, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2193.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand 
the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 
965, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
will be postponed.

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