Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) had an amendment to the FY 2012 Homeland Security Appropriations bill successfully adopted late Wednesday evening.  The amendment codifies the Presidential Memorandum on Federal Fleet Performance issued last week by President Barack Obama.  The Memorandum would require all new light duty vehicles in the federal fleet to be alternate fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas, or biofuel, by December 31, 2015.  Rep. Engel’s amendment, which received bipartisan support, would ensure that no funds may be used by the Department of Homeland Security for its fleet of vehicles except in accord with the President’s Memorandum.

Rep. Engel said, “In past years I have introduced similar legislation to require an Open Fuel Standard.  Our economy and our national security are threatened by our dependence on foreign oil. An Open Fuel Standard will help us to get off our oil addiction.”

Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  The Open Fuel Standard Act (H.R. 1687), co-sponsored by Rep. Engel, and introduced with Republican sponsor Rep. Shimkus (R-Ill.), would require 50 percent of new automobiles in 2014, 80 percent in 2016, and 95 percent in 2017, to be warranted to operate on nonpetroleum fuels in addition to or instead of petroleum based fuels.

“Our transportation sector is by far the biggest reason we send $600 billion per year to hostile nations – from Iran to Venezuela, and others – to pay for oil at ever-increasing prices.  America does not need to be beholden to foreign nations for transportation fuel.  Alternative technologies exist today, and if implemented broadly will allow any alternative fuel to be used in our fleet. This will encourage the development of domestic energy resources, and the industry and jobs that will come along with these alternative sources. It is a win-win situation – bolster our own economy and domestic employment opportunities while ceasing to funnel billions of dollars needlessly to other countries,” said Rep. Engel.

According to the General Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light duty vehicles in America.  The GSA counts over 660,000 vehicles in the entire fleet, with over 54,000 belonging to the Department of Homeland Security.

“I intend to introduce this amendment to every spending bill coming before the House this year, since each federal agency possesses a fleet of vehicles this can be applied to.  I am encouraged my colleagues agreed to it on the first one for Homeland Security and I urge them to follow suit on all of the others,” added Rep. Engel.

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