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.
Public Law 112-167 · S. 739 · 112th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Aug 10, 2012 · Congress
Sponsor: Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)
Cosponsors (7): Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Lamar Alexander,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 1402 · became Public Law 112-170Related 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 House of Representatives at no net cost to the Federal Government.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Aug 10, 2012Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-167.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Aug 3, 2012FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Aug 2, 2012FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Lungren, Daniel E. asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- May 29, 2012FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- May 25, 2012FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- May 24, 2012FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- May 12, 2011CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 44.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Rules and Administration. Reported by Senator Schumer without amendment. Without written report.
- May 11, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Rules and Administration. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Apr 6, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2189)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 2155SenateSen. Carl LevinD-MI· offered May 24, 2012Agreed to
To improve oversight over the program and ensure no subsidy is received by Senators and employees.
May 24, 2012: Amendment SA 2155 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.