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ategic manner are significant. We look forward resources for applied research across a variety of
to working with the Biden Administration on a energy areas important to the transportation sector,
regulatory framework that achieves these goals, and the new law reauthorizes and expands Department
with Congress on smart, holistic, and technology of Energy R&D activities in areas such as vehicle
neutral infrastructure spending, tax policies, and technologies, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies,
other incentives designed to facilitate consumer and integrating EVs onto the electric grid. It also
adoption of cleaner vehicles. While more than addresses America’s vulnerable supply chain for
40 models of zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) are critical minerals that are indeed critical for energy
currently available in the U.S., sales represent storage and many renewable energy applications.
less than two percent of the light-duty market, It also extends the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act
illustrating the need for facilitative policies. (DERA), an important U.S. Chamber legislative
priority that accelerates replacement of older,
To this end, alternative vehicle infrastructure and polluting diesel engines in urban areas facing air
tax incentives stand out as key foundational policies quality challenges.
that could be addressed in upcoming infrastructure
legislation. These should be complemented Together, these pillars—comprehensive
by federal support for good old-fashioned fuel infrastructure legislation, achievable nationwide
efficiency gains, incentives for adoption of cleaner fuel economy standards, and the variety of
fleets and commercial vehicles, and alternatives programs supported in the Energy Act of 2020—
such as hydrogen fuel cells, which hold great present a historic opportunity to accelerate
promise not only for passenger vehicles but also for emissions reductions in the transportation
the medium- and heavy-duty trucking industry. sector, while aiding American manufacturing and
economic competitiveness as we continue to recover
Progress depends on identifying clear funding from the devastating consequences of the COVID-19
sources. The U.S. Chamber has long supported pandemic.
raising the federal gas tax contribution to the
Highway Trust Fund by 25 cents per gallon over the We’re excited to be a
next five years. The gas tax has not been raised for part of the effort and
almost thirty years, and, over time, the transition will be doing everything
to cleaner vehicles will reduce contributions to we can to “Build by the
the trust fund. This commonsense increase would Fourth"!
help to provide the resources necessary to close
the gap between what we want to build and our
ability to pay for it. In the meantime, we’re working
with Congress to identify alternative funding
mechanisms—such as a vehicle miles traveled
(VMT) or user-free based approach—that would
provide a solution to revenue challenges over the
longer-term.
Finally, we cannot forget the need for research and
technology development to ensure longer-term
success. The recently passed bipartisan Energy
Act of 2020, a top legislative priority for the U.S.
Chamber last year, sets forth the foundation
necessary for this progress. In addition to increasing
SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL 18
to working with the Biden Administration on a energy areas important to the transportation sector,
regulatory framework that achieves these goals, and the new law reauthorizes and expands Department
with Congress on smart, holistic, and technology of Energy R&D activities in areas such as vehicle
neutral infrastructure spending, tax policies, and technologies, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies,
other incentives designed to facilitate consumer and integrating EVs onto the electric grid. It also
adoption of cleaner vehicles. While more than addresses America’s vulnerable supply chain for
40 models of zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) are critical minerals that are indeed critical for energy
currently available in the U.S., sales represent storage and many renewable energy applications.
less than two percent of the light-duty market, It also extends the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act
illustrating the need for facilitative policies. (DERA), an important U.S. Chamber legislative
priority that accelerates replacement of older,
To this end, alternative vehicle infrastructure and polluting diesel engines in urban areas facing air
tax incentives stand out as key foundational policies quality challenges.
that could be addressed in upcoming infrastructure
legislation. These should be complemented Together, these pillars—comprehensive
by federal support for good old-fashioned fuel infrastructure legislation, achievable nationwide
efficiency gains, incentives for adoption of cleaner fuel economy standards, and the variety of
fleets and commercial vehicles, and alternatives programs supported in the Energy Act of 2020—
such as hydrogen fuel cells, which hold great present a historic opportunity to accelerate
promise not only for passenger vehicles but also for emissions reductions in the transportation
the medium- and heavy-duty trucking industry. sector, while aiding American manufacturing and
economic competitiveness as we continue to recover
Progress depends on identifying clear funding from the devastating consequences of the COVID-19
sources. The U.S. Chamber has long supported pandemic.
raising the federal gas tax contribution to the
Highway Trust Fund by 25 cents per gallon over the We’re excited to be a
next five years. The gas tax has not been raised for part of the effort and
almost thirty years, and, over time, the transition will be doing everything
to cleaner vehicles will reduce contributions to we can to “Build by the
the trust fund. This commonsense increase would Fourth"!
help to provide the resources necessary to close
the gap between what we want to build and our
ability to pay for it. In the meantime, we’re working
with Congress to identify alternative funding
mechanisms—such as a vehicle miles traveled
(VMT) or user-free based approach—that would
provide a solution to revenue challenges over the
longer-term.
Finally, we cannot forget the need for research and
technology development to ensure longer-term
success. The recently passed bipartisan Energy
Act of 2020, a top legislative priority for the U.S.
Chamber last year, sets forth the foundation
necessary for this progress. In addition to increasing
SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL 18
