# Plain Language Summary: ATVM Future Act

This bill updates and expands a federal program that provides loans and grants to help American car manufacturers build or upgrade factories to produce cleaner, more efficient vehicles. The program, which has been around since 2007, was set to expire in 2020, but this bill extends it through 2031 and makes significant changes to what kinds of vehicles and companies can participate.

The core idea is straightforward: the government will lend money to car companies and parts suppliers to help them convert existing factories or build new ones to manufacture advanced technology vehicles—which includes electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and ultra-efficient gas-powered vehicles that meet strict emissions standards. The government will cover up to 50 percent of the project costs, though for certain high-tech components like batteries and electric motors, it can cover up to 80 percent. This is meant to help the auto industry transition away from traditional gas engines while keeping manufacturing jobs in America. Companies have to pay back these loans, so taxpayers aren't simply giving away money.

The bill also adds important worker protections and job creation requirements. Any company receiving funding must pay workers prevailing wages (competitive rates for the area), disclose any past labor law violations, and commit to hiring from underrepresented groups including veterans, people from low-income communities, women, and minorities. The bill prioritizes funding for older factories that have been around for at least 20 years or are at risk of closing, which could help save manufacturing jobs in communities that depend on auto plants.

Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to help companies apply for these loans, conduct outreach to potential applicants, and report back to Congress every few years on how the program is working—including how many jobs were created and whether companies are actually paying back their loans as promised.

ATVM Future Act

Dingell, Debbie

Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Future Act of 2021 or the ATVM Future Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program within the Department of Energy (DOE). Under the existing program, DOE provides financial support for the production of advanced technology vehicles. The bill expands the program to include financial support for (1) medium-duty passenger vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles that meet specified emission standards or emit zero-emissions; and (2) components, such as batteries, of ultra-efficient vehicles. The bill also revises the emission standards that light-duty vehicles must meet to be eligible for assistance under the program. In addition, the bill revises requirements governing the evaluation of a loan applicant's prospects of repaying a loan under the program.