Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, which includes key Committee priorities to combat climate change:
“Today, Congress took a bold step to combat one of the most urgent challenges of our lifetime: climate change. Proposals championed by my Committee, such as electrifying the federal vehicle fleet, will finally establish the federal government as a leader in the fight to combat the climate crisis. The Oversight Committee also successfully pushed for resources to expand the use of emerging green technologies and to make federal buildings greener. The American people need a comprehensive response to the global climate crisis, and they need it now. I urge the Senate to swiftly take up this essential legislation and get it to the President’s desk for signature."
The following Committee provisions were included in President Biden’s Build Back Better Act:
* Postal Service Fleet Electrification: The Committee’s title includes $6 billion for the Postal Service, including $2.57 billion to purchase electric vehicles and $3.41 billion to build the necessary charging infrastructure. This funding will ensure that the Postal Service purchases tens of thousands of clean electric vehicles and acquires the charging infrastructure necessary to support this new electric fleet.
* General Services Administration (GSA) Fleet Electrification: The Committee’s title provides $3 billion for GSA to purchase electric vehicles for the federal fleet, as well as the necessary charging infrastructure. This investment will allow GSA to purchase tens of thousands of electric vehicles and cut hundreds of thousand metric tons of CO2 annually-equivalent to tens of millions of gallons of gas saved every year.
* GSA Procurement and Technology: The Committee’s title includes $3.25 billion for GSA to increase energy efficiency, purchase low-carbon materials, and reduce the carbon footprint of the federal government.
* GSA Emerging Technologies: The Committee’s title includes $975 million for GSA to support the deployment of emerging and sustainable technologies, allowing the federal government to benefit from cutting-edge solutions to reduce emissions and cut costs. The investment creates a greener, more efficient federal government while also supporting commercialization of green technology and prioritizing the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
* Environmental Justice: The Committee’s title includes $25 million for the Office of Management and Budget to support implementation of the package and to track labor, equity, and environmental standards and performance. The President has pledged that at least 40% of the benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy will be directed to the communities that have been most impacted by environmental injustice.
* Oversight of Federal Programs: The Committee’s title provides $25 million for the Government Accountability Office to monitor the implementation of the Build Back Better Act and to track the equitable distribution of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the funds. The title also includes funding for the GSA and Postal Service Inspectors General.
