Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, especially my friend, Chairman Chaffetz, and my friend, Mr. Walberg, here from Michigan, as well as Ranking Member Cummings, for bringing this bipartisan, bicameral bill to the floor to save taxpayer dollars and create jobs.

I often hear, like most of us do, from our constituents: Why can't Congress work together and get something done and eliminate wasteful spending and create jobs? Well, we have got it, folks. Here we go.

With the Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act, I teamed up with Senator Gary Peters, also of Michigan. We are going to save literally millions of taxpayer dollars by reducing spending on Federal vehicle maintenance and create good manufacturing jobs.

Our commonsense bill calls on Federal agencies to use remanufactured components to repair and maintain the Federal vehicle fleet when using those parts would lower costs, achieve higher safety standards, and maintain quality and performance.

Remanufactured parts are less expensive than brand-new parts and have been returned to same-as-new condition. I know this from firsthand experience, owning a small sand and gravel operation where we oftentimes use remanufactured parts on our own trucks. The component may be an engine, may be a transmission, may be a drivetrain, may be a rear end or an alternator. Each of those repairs presents an opportunity to be more fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars.

In 2013, a GAO report found that the Federal Government owns a fleet of approximately 588,000 vehicles. The cost of maintaining that fleet has ballooned to nearly $1 billion.

While it is clear there needs to be a fleet of these Federal vehicles to have access to a reliable motor pool, it is important that these vehicles be maintained efficiently and effectively to ensure that those tax dollars--our precious tax dollars--are used in the most effective way possible.

In addition to eliminating wasteful spending, this legislation serves as an important boost to good-paying jobs and remanufacturing suppliers.

According to the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, remanufacturing of motor vehicle parts is responsible for over 30,000 full-time jobs across the United States. For example, in my district, Valley Truck Parts, headquartered in Wyoming, employs 250 Michiganders. In Kentwood, Michigan, North America Fuel Systems Remanufacturing employs more than 150 people.

These companies, among so many others across Michigan and so many other States, demonstrate how remanufacturing supports good-paying middle class jobs in States like Michigan and Ohio and North Carolina and Pennsylvania and so many others. It is going to play an expanded role, I believe, in making this Federal Government even more efficient.

I encourage my colleagues to join us in this effort to save millions of taxpayer dollars, support good jobs, and make the Federal Government run more efficiently.

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