{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.smith.senate.gov/merkley-senators-introduce-bill-make-public-transit-cleaner-healthier-more-affordable", "Merkley, Senators Introduce Bill to Make Public Transit Cleaner, Healthier, More Affordable", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tina Smith", "S001203", "www.smith.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kamala Harris (D-CA), today introduced a bill that would provide transit authorities with zero-interest loans to purchase electric buses\u2014curbing emissions among the top source of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States, and cutting fleet maintenance costs by tens of thousands of dollars.\n\n\u201cClimate chaos is threatening our future, and we need to act boldly and quickly to stop it,\u201d Merkley said.\u201cElectric buses mean lower operating costs as well as better health and less pollution, but they cost more to buy. A little up-front help from the federal government turns regular transit updates into opportunities to cut down on emissions and save money. It\u2019s common sense and will help build the foundation for a greener future.\u201d\n\n\u201cCombatting climate change isn\u2019t just important; it also is good for our economy.\u201d Smith said. \u201cBeyond a smaller carbon footprint, electric buses are quieter, more efficient, produce far fewer health harming emissions, and have dramatically lower fuel costs than petroleum diesel buses. Quieter buses and no petroleum diesel smoke make our roads more pleasant for those sharing them, like bikers and pedestrians. With this bill, we\u2019re helping our cities make an upfront investment in the health of their communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cNevada is a leader in clean energy. And I\u2019m doing all I can to ensure that we continue to strengthen that leadership and support opportunities to create good-paying green jobs, improve the quality of the air we breathe, and help curb climate change,\u201d said Cortez Masto. \u201cThis legislation will empower our local transit agencies to combat carbon emissions, improve residents\u2019 quality of life, and save money in the long term. I\u2019ll continue working to identify innovative, clean energy solutions that help America thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cClimate change is a clear and present threat to our communities and our future. We should be exploring every opportunity to mitigate its effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,\u201d said Booker. \u201cMaking public transportation cleaner and more environmentally-friendly is one such opportunity. Our bill is a common-sense way to incentivize local governments to transition their bus fleets to all electric-vehicles, a move that will drastically reduce carbon pollution, improve air quality, and lower maintenance costs.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is beyond time to take action to combat the continuing rise in greenhouse gas emissions and secure the American people\u2019s right to clean air and clean water for future generations,\u201d said Harris. \u201cI\u2019m proud to cosponsor this bill that would go a long way towards eliminating a major source of air pollution and would give communities across the country the funding they need to invest in new, green transportation infrastructure.\u201d\n\nThe transportation sector is the number one source of greenhouse gas pollution in the U.S., and 44 percent of U.S. carbon pollution comes from oil. More than 1,000 transit districts operate buses that have traveled over two billion vehicle miles. Electrifying all of the nation\u2019s diesel-powered transit buses could save more than two million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, while eliminating tons of nitrogen oxides and hundreds of pounds of diesel particulate matter containing dozens of toxic air contaminants. Transitioning to cleaner buses will drastically help cut down on carbon pollution and improve communities\u2019 air quality. Additionally, transit authorities could save roughly $40,000 a year on fuel and maintenance.\n\nCurrently, however, switching to electric buses can be cost prohibitive. That\u2019s why the Community Health and Clean Transit Act builds on the success of the Department of Transportation\u2019s Low and No Emission grant program and creates an innovative financing tool to offset the upfront capital cost of electric buses, and help communities choose clean and efficient transit fleets.\n\nThe Community Health and Clean Transit Act provides zero-interest loans to qualified transit districts for the additional upfront costs of electric buses over conventional diesel buses, as well as the associated charging infrastructure, and technical assistance. The bill would authorize $15 million to cover the default risk of the loan, leveraging critical federal dollars and allowing communities to choose the best bus for their needs and communities.\n\nThe bill also encourages innovative partnerships between fleet operators and utilities to facilitate vehicle-to-grid technologies, provide energy storage, and enhance grid resiliency. And, with strong \u201cBuy America\u201d provisions, the bill ensures that electric buses will help create U.S. jobs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-06-27T23:11:43Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.smith.senate.gov/merkley-senators-introduce-bill-make-public-transit-cleaner-healthier-more-affordable"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7467029392719269, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}