[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 59 (Monday, April 4, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MILITARY VEHICLE FLEET ELECTRIFICATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 4, 2022

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Military 
Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act.'' Among other things, this 
transformative legislation would require the U.S. Department of Defense 
(DOD) to replace its fleet of nontactical vehicles with at least 75 
percent electric or zero-emission vehicles.
  The DOD remains the single largest institutional consumer of 
petroleum in the world. As chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee 
on Readiness, I am deeply committed to getting the American military to 
do its part to combat the climate crisis by reducing fossil fuel use 
and transitioning our nation to a clean energy economy. As the Pentagon 
turns over its fleet of nontactical vehicles, it only makes sense that 
those replacements be electric or zero-emission vehicles to the 
greatest extent practicable.
  According to the General Services Administration (GSA), the DOD 
currently has more than 174,000 nontactical vehicles across the service 
branches, including the Coast Guard, and the various defense agencies. 
That is the second largest share of the overall federal vehicle fleet, 
after the U.S. Postal Service at more than 225,000 vehicles. In 
December 2021, the Biden Administration published its Federal 
Sustainability Plan, indicating that the DOD is responsible for 56 
percent of the federal government's overall greenhouse gas emissions.
  My legislation would apply to all future non-tactical vehicles, such 
as passenger cars, vans, or light-duty trucks, purchased or leased for 
the military. It would not apply to vehicles used in combat or warzones 
like Humvees. My legislation includes the strongest possible ``Buy 
American'' requirements, ensuring that electric vehicle components like 
batteries are not sourced from hostile foreign countries like the 
People's Republic of China or Russian Federation. Importantly, my 
legislation would apply to both direct procurement by the DOD itself 
and any non-tactical vehicles for which the GSA acts as the procurement 
or leasing agent on behalf of the service branches or defense agencies.
  As a nation and within our military, we have a responsibility to make 
thoughtful purchases with taxpayer funds to combat the climate crisis. 
Transitioning the military's enormous fleet of passenger cars, light-
duty trucks, and vans with internal combustion engines to American-made 
electric and zero-emission vehicles is a commonsense way to further 
reduce our nation's greenhouse gas emissions. I plan to make this 
critical legislation a top priority in the Readiness mark of the 
forthcoming National Defense Authorization Act.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members of the House to join me in 
cosponsoring the ``Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act.''

                          ____________________