S. 739: A bill to authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish battery recharging stations for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate at no net cost to the Federal Government.

S. 739: A bill to authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish battery recharging stations for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate at no net cost to the Federal Government.

112th Congress · introduced 2011-04-06 · Congress · Latest: Became Public Law No: 112-167.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-04-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 112-167. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish battery recharging stations for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate at no net cost to the Federal Government.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate May 24, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Makes funds appropriated to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for the Capitol power plant in any fiscal year available to construct, operate, and maintain on a reimbursable basis battery recharging stations in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate on Capitol grounds for use by privately owned vehicles used by: (1) Senators, or (2) Senate employees or any other individuals authorized to park in any parking area under Senate jurisdiction on Capitol grounds (covered employees). Requires the Architect to charge Senators and covered employees fees for the electricity sufficient to cover costs, including those to any vendors or other costs associated with maintaining the battery recharging stations. Requires the AOC to report triennially to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on whether or not individuals using the battery charging stations receive a subsidy from the taxpayers, and, if so, to submit a plan to the Committee to update the program to ensure that no subsidy is being received. Requires the AOC, if the Committee fails to act on the plan within 60 days, to take appropriate steps to increase rates or fees to ensure reimbursement for the cost of the program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish battery recharging stations for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the Senate at no net cost to the Federal Government.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (6)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s739.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s739 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112