King Introduces Bill to Electrify Military Vehicle Fleet, Cut Carbon Emissions

DoD is the Largest Institutional Consumer of Petroleum in the World, Responsible for 56% of the Federal Government’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Energy and Natural Resources Committees, has introduced a bill to help reduce carbon emissions by transitioning the non-tactical fleet of the Department of Defense (DoD) to electric or other zero-emission vehicles. The Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act would require at least 75% of all non-tactical vehicles – such as

cars, vans, and light-duty trucks – purchased or leased by DoD to be electric or zero-emission vehicles that are made in America. The legislation comes ahead of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and could potentially be included as an amendment to the defense package.

“Climate change is among the greatest national security threats facing America and poses serious challenges for Department of Defense readiness,” said Senator King. “The DoD has a responsibility to defend America against these threats, and as the world’s largest fossil fuel consumer, part of this responsibility includes reducing their own emissions. The Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act would be a significant step to reduce greenhouse gases, increase the resiliency of our national defense, and invest in America’s electric vehicle manufacturing. I hope we can include the important bill in this year’s NDAA to improve DoD substantiality while creating good American jobs.”

DoD currently has more than 174,00 nontactical vehicles across service branches – the second-largest share of the federal vehicle fleet after the U.S. Postal Service – and is the largest institutional consumer of petroleum in the world. In December 2021, the Biden administration's Federal Sustainability Plan found that 56 percent of the federal government’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from DoD.

The Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act: 

• For FY2023 (Oct. 1, 2022) and thereafter, requires that at least 75% of non-tactical vehicles purchased or leased by DoD be electric or zero-emission vehicles.
• Reinforces the government-wide Buy American Act and other applicable federal procurement laws.
• Ensures that electric vehicle components (including batteries) are sourced from the USA or allied countries and not foreign countries like the People's Republic of China or Russia.
• Prohibits any sourcing of electric vehicle components (including batteries) from hostile foreign countries like the People's Republic of China or Russia.
• Authorizes DoD to let privately operated charging stations at commissaries and exchanges on military installations.
• Authorizes DoD to use its re-programming authority for unspecified minor military construction projects, which allows DoD to reprogram up to $6 million per project from Congressionally appropriated funds for military construction, to support electric vehicle charging station infrastructure at military installations.

Aa member of the Senate Armed Services and Energy and Natural Resources Committees Senator King has worked to address the national security challenges facing the United States – including the threats of climate change. He previously urged the Biden Administration to adopt forward-looking proposals aimed at ramping up the electrification of the federal vehicle fleet, and worked to secure investments in EV infrastructure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Senator King is also a cosponsor of the Clean Economy Act, which would put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050, and the Renewable Electricity Standard Act which would put the U.S. on a trajectory to decarbonize the power sector by 2050.