Sponsors
Congressman Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Congressman Serrano (D-NY), Chairman of the House Appropriations Financial Services and General Government subcommittee, which oversees the federal payment to the USPS:
"The e-Drive bill is a bold step to help the USPS achieve sustainability from an operational standpoint. It also will help them lead the greening of our nation's delivery fleets and jump-start the electric vehicle industry in the U.S. Through a rigorous testing and competitive grant process, administered by the Department of Energy, manufacturers, large and small, will compete to bring their leading-edge technologies to the market. The industry will grow stronger as a result -- creating knowledge, deploying new technologies, and producing quality American jobs. Our nation must become a leader in green technologies and leveraging the enormous assets of the USPS provides us with a direct route toward that goal."
"Our nation is ready to support an electric vehicle fleet. Our power grid would benefit, our industrial base would benefit, our environment would benefit, and under this approach, the USPS, as well as its employees and customers, would benefit. It’s a win-win situation all around. I look forward to passing this bill with my allies in Congress, and the support of the public and private sectors.”
Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Congressman Bartlett (R-MD), co-Chairman of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Caucus and a member of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Science and Technology:
"OPEC would benefit from ongoing failure by lawmakers to act."
"America’s national security and our economy would improve if we enact laws in 2010 that will reduce the dependence of U.S. transportation upon oil. Doing so would also reduce transportation’s carbon footprint."
"Electrification of transportation could displace oil, diversify energy inputs and reduce GHG. Fleet purchases by the federal government would jumpstart and leverage industry development. H.R. 4399, The American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act, introduced by Reps. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.) would authorize replacement of the U.S. Postal Service’s aging fleet of long-life vehicles with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and recharging vehicle-to-grid infrastructure. Stop-and-go deliveries in non-attainment areas with plug-in hybrids would maximize reductions in fuel use and pollution. Whatever happens to legislative bills in the bushes, Congress should approve these bipartisan bills at hand."
Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE)
Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE):
"This legislation will provide a much-needed boost to the development and use of electric drive vehicles on a nation-wide scale. It will stimulate private sector investment in electric drive vehicles, powertrains and new battery technologies. It also addresses Smart Grid integration through new Vehicle-to-Grid technologies. I look forward to working with my colleague, Mr. Serrano, on this forward-thinking approach to less dependence on fossil fuels and reducing emissions from mobile sources."
Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO)
Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO):
"By supplying new, more efficient electric vehicles built right here in the United States we reduce fuel costs for the struggling Postal Service and jolt American clean-energy manufacturing, creating jobs here at home."
Congressman Dan Maffei, (D-NY)
Congressman Dan Maffei, (D-NY):
"This bill will spur American electric vehicle production, creating manufacturing jobs and moving us toward a green economy. Central New York is a leader in green technology innovation, and I am confident our region will contribute to the e-Drive program's success."
Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY)
Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY):
"The United States Postal Service maintains the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world with about 221,000 vehicles in service. By converting to a greener electric fleet we will be using the purchasing power of the federal government to spur innovation, create new green jobs and reduce energy costs for the postal service. I've worked with Congressman Serrano on demonstration projects using these vehicles in New York and I am proud to continue to work with him on the e-Drive bill."
Congressman Charles Gonzalez (D-TX)
Congressman Charles A. Gonzalez (D-TX):
"As world leaders convene at the UN Climate Conference to find ways to reduce global carbon emissions, we are doing our part here with the introduction of 'e-Drive'. Homes in America are visited by the USPS six days a week, and it only makes sense that we find a green alternative to one of the largest delivery fleets. With e-Drive we can lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our carbon emissions, and create more green jobs as we encourage the car manufacturers to develop more non-polluting vehicles."
