Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, legislation that will make historic investments into public works programs, from roads and bridges to electric vehicles and broadband. Included in this legislation was a bill introduced by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), which directs the Secretaries of Energy and Transportation to establish a working group to make recommendations regarding the development, adoption, and integration of electric vehicles into the transportation and energy systems of the United States.
The working group would include both federal and non-federal stakeholders, including representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, electric vehicle manufacturers, regional transportation agencies, public utilities, labor organizations, the trucking industry, and more.
“As a country, we must take bold action to combat climate change so that we can build a safe, sustainable future for our children,” said Congresswoman Ross. “That is why I am delighted the Senate infrastructure bill included my legislation to ensure the Departments of Energy and Transportation work with stakeholders from different sectors and diverse backgrounds to develop a national framework for our clean transportation future.
“I have heard repeatedly from individuals, universities, and businesses in my district about the barriers they face when looking to transition to electric vehicles, including a lack of EV infrastructure or insufficient direction from federal agencies. This legislation would end that confusion by aligning local, state, and private sector EV needs with federal policy. It is important not only to ensure that the U.S. remains competitive in the global EV marketplace, but also to meet the needs of all of our workers, industries, and consumers—including low-income consumers—as we make the transition to an electric fleet.
“I would like to thank Senator Cortez Masto for her leadership on this important issue, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill signed into law.”
Congresswoman Ross worked to ensure an earlier version of this bill passed the House in July as an amendment to the INVEST in America Act.
###