WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to save taxpayer dollars by reducing the federal funding available for the acquisition and leasing of new federal vehicles. The Domestic Reduction In Vehicle Expenditure and Lowering Emissions from State Sources Act, or the DRIVE LESS Act, moves on the recommendations of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which found that reducing the federal vehicle fleet budget by 20 percent would save approximately $500 million taxpayer dollars. The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.).

“Congress has to make a lot of hard choices, but this isn’t one of them. The federal vehicle budget has ballooned to a fiscally irresponsible level, and it’s just not right that American taxpayers are left covering such a needlessly high bill,” Senator King said. “Reducing what the government spends on the federal fleet by 20 percent is a common-sense proposal that dates back to the Simpson-Bowles Commission, and it’s time we acted on this much-needed, bipartisan reform.”

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for government agencies’ expensive SUV fleets,” Senator Shaheen said. “The government’s bloated vehicle budget is a perfect example of where we can make smart, targeted cuts, and my bill makes sure the government takes better control of its wallet and only makes necessary vehicle purchases.”

The DRIVE LESS Act is modeled after bipartisan legislation Shaheen introduced in the 112^th and 113^th Congresses. According to a 2012 study by the Government Accountability Office, the number of federal vehicles, excluding postal and tactical military, increased about seven percent since fiscal year 2005, from 420,000 to 449,000 vehicles. In Fiscal Year 2013, the federal government spent $2.825 billion on its vehicle fleet.

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