0:00:14.080,0:00:18.310 Our electric vehicle infrastructure[br]program, where we're distributing 0:00:18.560,0:00:22.120 $5 billion to states to establish 0:00:22.120,0:00:25.400 a car charging network along our highways, 0:00:25.960,0:00:29.760 as well as a companion program called[br]Community Charging, which is another 2.5. 0:00:30.320,0:00:31.840 They do carry standards. 0:00:31.840,0:00:35.880 We don't want to dictate, of course, all[br]of the particulars of charging stations 0:00:35.880,0:00:39.960 that will typically be owned[br]and operated by the private sector 0:00:40.330,0:00:43.280 but we do need to make sure certain[br]things are true about them. 0:00:43.280,0:00:45.680 We need to make sure that you are not, 0:00:46.400,0:00:49.160 for example, confined to an individual 0:00:50.240,0:00:52.640 network in order to 0:00:52.640,0:00:56.120 be able to purchase power[br]from a given charging station. 0:00:56.760,0:00:58.640 Right now, that's often the case. 0:00:58.640,0:01:03.840 So it's as if, you know,[br]you could only fill up at a Speedway 0:01:03.840,0:01:08.600 gas station if you were a Speedway member,[br]but not if you were a BP member, right. 0:01:08.640,0:01:10.760 We need to make these interoperable. 0:01:10.760,0:01:13.000 And accessibility[br]is one of the considerations 0:01:13.200,0:01:15.120 that's going into this as well. 0:01:15.120,0:01:18.240 And as we work with our counterparts[br]in the Department of Energy 0:01:18.880,0:01:21.760 to lay out those requirements[br]and expectations for 0:01:23.520,0:01:26.480 the states in their investments, 0:01:27.120,0:01:29.840 we're going to be, within reason, 0:01:30.080,0:01:31.800 laying out some 0:01:33.210,0:01:35.660 standards and expectations[br]for how those chargers 0:01:35.660,0:01:36.360 ought to work. 0:01:44.340,0:01:47.900 Well, you know, one thing we're trying to[br]support is active transportation. 0:01:47.900,0:01:51.400 So we need to make sure that people[br]are able to walk or bike or roll 0:01:51.400,0:01:55.480 to wherever they need to be[br]and I think that's something that has been 0:01:56.200,0:02:00.760 maybe more familiar for people[br]living in city centers of dense 0:02:00.760,0:02:04.320 urban areas but can bring[br]benefit everywhere in the country. 0:02:04.800,0:02:08.400 When we adopted a Complete Streets[br]approach in my hometown of South 0:02:08.400,0:02:11.400 Bend, for example, that really opened up 0:02:11.440,0:02:15.200 what had been a road pattern 0:02:15.200,0:02:19.360 that was almost hostile to any traffic[br]besides a vehicle. 0:02:19.760,0:02:24.840 Really opened that up to people[br]and through that to small business too, 0:02:25.040,0:02:28.600 because it became a more inviting place[br]to have a cup of coffee 0:02:28.600,0:02:32.000 or browse the store. 0:02:32.800,0:02:37.840 So all of these things add up to,[br]I think, a more vibrant local economy, 0:02:37.840,0:02:41.840 and they add up to more ease for people[br]getting to where they need to go. 0:02:42.280,0:02:44.870 Especially when you start[br]from the principle of safety. 0:02:45.320,0:02:48.480 And that's really what's on our mind[br]as we work 0:02:48.520,0:02:52.120 to make active transportation[br]available to more Americans. 0:02:52.240,0:02:54.840 Many of our grant programs do just that. 0:02:55.480,0:02:59.000 E-bikes hold the promise of making it 0:03:00.160,0:03:02.080 more natural 0:03:02.080,0:03:04.400 for a lot of people[br]to commute to work by bike. 0:03:05.880,0:03:07.880 I think that they present 0:03:07.880,0:03:10.370 an opportunity in terms of people[br]who are maybe 0:03:11.040,0:03:13.920 don't think of themselves as athletes[br]or aren't able to 0:03:14.960,0:03:17.560 bike longer distances on traditional bike 0:03:18.520,0:03:21.120 to now have a convenience to get around. 0:03:21.380,0:03:23.650 Again,[br]safety has to be our guiding principle. 0:03:23.760,0:03:29.400 So, you know, local communities,[br]I think, are dealing with the necessity 0:03:29.440,0:03:32.400 of managing the 0:03:34.440,0:03:36.680 shared spaces[br]and just the rules of the road 0:03:36.680,0:03:40.320 in a way that it is safe[br]because these e-bikes can go 0:03:41.080,0:03:44.920 obviously faster, not just farther[br]than traditional bicycles, 0:03:44.920,0:03:48.490 but we see a lot of potential there[br]and we want to support local community 0:03:48.490,0:03:52.120 visions for how they want[br]to put these technologies to use. 0:03:59.800,0:04:03.560 The great thing about this role[br]and the daunting thing about this moment 0:04:03.560,0:04:07.320 is that we need to be delivering[br]improvements to every mode 0:04:07.320,0:04:11.280 of transportation in the country and,[br]you know, we have provisions 0:04:11.280,0:04:14.160 in this new infrastructure law[br]that touch on everything from 0:04:15.040,0:04:19.000 commercial aviation to pipeline safety. 0:04:19.480,0:04:23.900 We're administering a pipeline safety[br]improvement program 0:04:23.900,0:04:26.960 that's not getting as much attention[br]as some of the other things, 0:04:26.960,0:04:29.717 but it just gives you a sense of the range[br]of what we do. 0:04:29.717,0:04:31.650 We work on commercial space travel, port 0:04:31.650,0:04:34.770 improvements, anything related[br]to how people or goods move around. 0:04:34.770,0:04:38.640 We tend to have some role in it[br]and what we're very proud of 0:04:38.640,0:04:41.480 with this infrastructure[br]deal is the opportunity 0:04:41.520,0:04:45.960 to make more improvements than we have in[br]certainly my lifetime. 0:04:46.760,0:04:50.080 Everything from the ASAP program[br]that we're rolling out next week, 0:04:50.080,0:04:54.880 improvements to stations across[br]the country for transit, accessibility 0:04:55.440,0:04:57.440 to the airport terminal program, 0:04:57.440,0:04:59.830 which also by the way,[br]did a lot for accessibility. 0:04:59.830,0:05:00.840 A lot of 0:05:00.840,0:05:04.800 ADA improvements are coming to airports[br]around America now through this funding, 0:05:05.080,0:05:08.800 and we're proud to be able to bring that[br]to communities of different sizes. 0:05:09.000,0:05:10.310 By many measures, the U.S. 0:05:10.320,0:05:13.240 doesn't have a single airport[br]in the world's top 25 now. 0:05:13.240,0:05:15.300 And that we want to change. 0:05:15.300,0:05:17.470 The president[br]definitely wants to change it. 0:05:17.470,0:05:20.280 And it starts with the basics,[br]making sure that airports 0:05:20.280,0:05:23.420 before we even get to the[br]the finer points of the esthetics of it, 0:05:23.420,0:05:27.160 we just need to make sure they work well[br]and that they work well for everybody. 0:05:27.160,0:05:28.740 So this round of terminal grants 0:05:28.740,0:05:31.860 alone was 84 different airports[br]we're able to make a difference. 0:05:32.000,0:05:34.320 And there are big recognizable ones[br]like L.A.X. 0:05:34.320,0:05:35.410 all the way down to 0:05:35.890,0:05:37.190 Chamberlain, South Dakota, 0:05:37.190,0:05:40.430 where they're general aviation terminal[br]right now is a mobile home. 0:05:40.430,0:05:42.360 And we're funding them a new building. 0:05:42.760,0:05:45.480 But in places like in between,[br]like Huntsville, Alabama, 0:05:45.640,0:05:48.360 which will get better restrooms and 0:05:50.200,0:05:52.320 finally be able to get 0:05:52.320,0:05:55.520 ADA compliance in areas[br]where they hadn't before. 0:06:03.080,0:06:07.140 There was the Cash For Clunkers program,[br]I think during the Obama administration, 0:06:07.140,0:06:09.720 the approach that we've pursued[br]has had to do with 0:06:09.720,0:06:12.680 reducing the upfront sticker[br]price of EVs through tax credits, 0:06:12.960,0:06:14.480 although unfortunately there's 0:06:14.480,0:06:18.240 been a lot of congressional,[br]mostly Republican opposition to that. 0:06:18.240,0:06:22.760 So it hasn't passed,[br]but we are seeing that the scale effects 0:06:22.760,0:06:26.240 are starting[br]to pull down the cost of EVs too. 0:06:26.240,0:06:31.440 The cost of charging is a little different[br]because it's in the hands of utilities 0:06:31.440,0:06:34.310 that there are 3000[br]different utilities across the country. 0:06:34.310,0:06:37.940 But we're certainly interested to see[br]what kinds of approaches will be taken 0:06:37.940,0:06:38.690 locally. 0:06:38.690,0:06:39.760 For example, you know, 0:06:39.760,0:06:43.800 I used to run a utility as mayor[br]because I ever saw the water works. 0:06:43.800,0:06:49.760 And one of the uses that my successor put[br]rescue plan dollars to was to reduce 0:06:49.760,0:06:53.960 or forgive utility bills for low[br]income residents on their water charges. 0:06:53.960,0:06:55.680 So there are ways this can be done. 0:06:55.680,0:06:58.880 It varies from state to state,[br]and it gets a little difficult 0:06:58.880,0:07:02.240 for us from the federal level[br]on the transportation side of the House 0:07:02.240,0:07:04.130 to have all the visibility into that. 0:07:04.130,0:07:07.660 But we're certainly interested[br]in approaches to make the charging as well 0:07:07.660,0:07:11.180 as the purchasing of electric vehicles[br]more affordable for more Americans. 0:07:11.180,0:07:14.560 One thing that a lot of folks[br]don't realize is that you can often charge 0:07:14.560,0:07:15.360 a vehicle with a 0:07:15.740,0:07:16.720 regular wall plug. 0:07:16.720,0:07:17.520 That's what 0:07:17.520,0:07:21.240 frankly, that's what Chasten and I do[br]in Michigan with our plug in hybrid, 0:07:21.240,0:07:25.200 although it's quicker and more efficient[br]if you can get a level two charger. 0:07:25.480,0:07:29.880 But that only helps you if you live in[br]a single family home or you have a garage. 0:07:30.320,0:07:34.000 A lot of people in multi-family[br]dwellings also live in areas 0:07:34.000,0:07:38.360 where it's not yet profitable[br]for a company to install a charger. 0:07:38.360,0:07:41.123 For example, in the parking[br]lot of your apartment building. 0:07:41.123,0:07:44.730 That's where we think the community[br]charging funding that we're going to be 0:07:44.730,0:07:46.460 distributing can make a difference. 0:07:46.460,0:07:47.720 We buy down the difference 0:07:47.720,0:07:50.560 where it doesn't pencil out[br]just yet for the private sector, 0:07:50.560,0:07:54.440 but when we get that charger up, it helps[br]drive adoption and helps, of course, 0:07:55.000,0:07:58.840 people get in on the fuel savings[br]that come with owning. 0:08:01.880,0:08:03.560 That's funded for this fiscal year. 0:08:03.560,0:08:06.280 We'll get the first of five years,[br]which across five years 0:08:06.280,0:08:07.850 will be two and a half billion. 0:08:07.850,0:08:09.640 That will go alongside the 5 billion. 0:08:09.640,0:08:13.200 So about 1 billion a year that's[br]going to the states for their own plans. 0:08:13.200,0:08:15.600 Those are more toward[br]building out the network of 0:08:16.430,0:08:17.680 chargers across the U.S. 0:08:17.680,0:08:18.520 highway system. 0:08:26.160,0:08:27.560 You know, we do everything 0:08:27.560,0:08:31.600 from overseeing the Academy for Merchant[br]Mariners at Kings Point, New York 0:08:32.040,0:08:35.830 to licensing commercial space launches[br]and so I think everybody knows 0:08:35.830,0:08:38.430 we're the Department[br]of Planes, trains and automobiles. 0:08:38.430,0:08:44.350 But even I am repeatedly struck by the[br]sheer range of things we get to work on. 0:08:44.350,0:08:47.900 But they're all important and they're[br]all there and they're all exciting. 0:08:47.900,0:08:50.510 And there's never been a better[br]time to do this work. 0:08:57.740,0:08:58.480 Yeah, it's 0:08:58.480,0:09:01.130 you know, we're trying to strike[br]an appropriate balance 0:09:01.130,0:09:04.170 in terms of our own travel,[br]even just how I get around the city. 0:09:04.170,0:09:08.560 So one idea that I, to be honest, stole[br]from Secretary Granholm was to convert 0:09:08.560,0:09:12.760 one of my security detail vehicles[br]to an electric car so that I can 0:09:13.450,0:09:14.200 get around 0:09:14.200,0:09:16.270 DC on it on a zero emissions basis. 0:09:16.270,0:09:19.880 But of course part of my job is to travel[br]to be in lots of different places 0:09:19.880,0:09:24.600 at once,[br]we want to see, feel and experience 0:09:24.600,0:09:26.880 what's happening on the ground 0:09:26.880,0:09:30.000 so that we can make the best[br]possible decisions as we guide 0:09:30.640,0:09:34.520 what's ultimately going to be roughly[br]half of the $1.2 trillion of the 0:09:34.560,0:09:36.370 president's infrastructure plan.