Funding for USPS electric truck fleet clears Senate

By Bill McAllister, Washington Correspondent

Whether the United States Postal Service gets taxpayer funding for an all-electric delivery fleet is now up to the House of Representatives.

On Aug. 7, by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote, the Senate passed the massive Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The measure now goes to the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. It will convene on Aug. 12 to consider the bill, which would allocate $3 billion to the USPS to purchase a new generation of electric-powered trucks and build charging stations to power them.

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, welcomed the Senate vote, saying the bill will help the Postal Service pay for its planned new fleet of electric-powered vehicles, which she has long favored.

Postal officials have said that what percentage of the fleet is electric will depend in part on how the truck purchase can be financed. Democrats say the legislation should answer that question.

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