Jared Huffman: “Improving the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks is one of the most important things that we can do to fight climate…”

“Improving the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks is one of the most important things that we can do to fight climate change. Thanks to an executive order signed by President Obama, the Federal vehicle fleet is becoming more efficient. By 2020, it will reduce petroleum use by 30 percent, saving money and cleaning the air. But the United States Postal Service, which owns and operates the world's largest civilian fleet, is exempt from this critical effort; and it is headed in the wrong direction on fossil fuel consumption as 141,000 of their vehicles, nearly three-quarters of their delivery fleet, are aging Grumman LLVs, the old mail truck that we see in our neighborhoods every day. Most get less than 10 miles to the gallon, and they are reaching the end of their operational life span. To save money and cut emissions, the postal service desperately needs a modern, efficient fleet. That is why I am introducing the FLEET Act, the Federal Leadership in Energy Efficient Transportation, in order to close the fuel efficiency gap between the postal service and other modern, fuel-efficient fleets. A quarter of our Nation's greenhouse gas emissions are emitted from the transportation sector. It is time to take our worst fleet and make it into our best fleet. ____________________”