Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and the Committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), proposed a bipartisan highway bill that would add a $130 registration fee for electric vehicles (EV) and a $35 fee for plug-in hybrids.
The provision is part of the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th (BUILD) America 250 Act. A five-year Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill that aims to invest in the country’s roads, bridges, rail, and other infrastructure.
“I’m extremely proud of the historic level of investment in America’s bridges – at more than $50 billion, it’s the largest such investment in our history. And the BUILD America 250 Act ensures that electric vehicle owners begin paying their fair share for the use of our roads,” Rep. Graves stated, according to a press release from the committee’s website.
It is still unclear whether the registration fee will become law, as the legislation would also require Senate approval, The Hill reported.
According to the House bill, the $130 fee would increase by $5 “biennially” beginning in 2029. The bill affirms that the fees would not surpass $150 for EVs or $50 for hybrids.
The bill also affirms that the fees imposed “shall terminate on Oct. 1, 2036.”
“You can’t have a big-league economy with little-league infrastructure,” Ranking Member Rep. Larsen stated. “The BUILD America 250 Act makes key investments in the nation’s transportation – from restoring aging bridges and repairing crumbling roads to building out safe, accessible transit and bike infrastructure.”
“A commitment to bipartisan lawmaking means finding compromise; while this bill does not include every priority, I am committed to building on the last bipartisan infrastructure law by creating good-paying transportation jobs, growing the economy and safely transporting people and goods across the country by road and rail," he added. "Thank you to Chairman Graves for his partnership. I look forward to marking up this bill soon.”
