Policy Resolution ETE-20-12

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is committed to a clean environment and recognizes that climate change threatens the health and livelihoods of every American;

WHEREAS, the United States is the second highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world today and the top cumulative contributor since 1850, accounting for nearly 30%;

WHEREAS, the transportation sector is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for nearly 30% of total emissions;

WHEREAS, passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans account for over half of the transportation sector’s greenhouse emissions;

WHEREAS, reducing America’s dependence on oil and unstable markets by transitioning to electric vehicles is a matter of national and economic security;

WHEREAS, when we invest broadly in electric vehicles and their associated fueling infrastructure, public health outcomes will dramatically improve as air quality improves across America;

WHEREAS, transitioning vehicles on our roads away from fossil fuel technologies to zero emission alternatives will reduce oil consumption, provide cost savings to Americans, and increase domestic jobs;

WHEREAS, a robust national network of equitably distributed charging infrastructure and stations is needed to accelerate market transformation of electric vehicles;

WHEREAS, to improve public health, fight climate change, and create jobs, as legislators we urge the Administration and the United States Congress to maximize Federal direct funding to accelerate the transition of our transportation system from fossil fuel-powered technologies to vehicle electrification;

WHEREAS, as legislators, we support increasing the manufacturer cap to enhance the Federal EV tax credit, extending credits for charging infrastructure, and prioritizing funding for electric buses along with other vehicle classes, which together give vehicle manufacturers necessary market certainty to accelerate production capacity;

WHEREAS, as legislators, we want to lead by example, and are working to electrify public fleets; and

WHEREAS, legislators across America have shown support for the Climate Mayors Electric Vehicle Purchasing Collaborative, an effort that leverages the buying power of cities to reduce the cost and complexity of vehicle procurement and accelerate the transition of municipal fleets to electric, including deploying charging infrastructure.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is committed to the transition of all vehicles on our roads to zero emission technologies, and the NBCSL urges the Administration and the United States Congress to extend and enhance the Federal EV tax credit, expand incentives to other vehicle classes, and invest in EV infrastructure and new battery technology to ensure the transition occurs on an accelerated time frame;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL asserts it belief and commitment to the following:

• A just and equitable 100% clean plan that leaves no workers of any communities behind;

• Direct large investments and job-training programs in renewables, including, where available, union sponsored job training programs already in existence; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the Unites States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Billy Mitchell (GA)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Energy, Transportation, and Environment Policy Committee
  
• Certified by Committee Co-Chairs: Senator Kevin Parker (NY) and Senator Sandra Williams (OH)
  
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 6, 2019
  
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President