Anna Eshoo: “This amendment makes a very simple change to existing law that will allow federal employees to plug in their electric…”

“This amendment makes a very simple change to existing law that will allow federal employees to plug in their electric vehicles at work. I was surprised to learn last year that my constituents who work and volunteer at federal facilities cannot charge their electric vehicle (EV) at their workplace. As the nation's largest employer, the federal government should lead by example in terms of offering workplace charging. However, a quirk in existing law prohibits federal agencies from constructing charging stations or even entering into contracts with third parties to build charging infrastructure. This amendment would simply authorize the federal government to install EV charging stations at federal facilities. It is based on the text of the bipartisan H.R. 3509, which I introduced together with Representatives Massie, Lofgren, and Woodall, and it was recently approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote as an amendment to H.R. 8. This straightforward amendment does not contain any mandates or new spending, it simply allows federal agencies to offer EV charging stations and charge a fee for their use. The amendment is modeled after a successful initiative here at the U.S. Capitol. It requires stations to be installed and operated with funds collected from the use of the stations. This small but commonsense change to the law will ensure the U.S.…”