Popular, bipartisan program cuts diesel emissions, improves fuel efficiency, and protects families’ health
Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), was joined by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chairman of EPW; and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) in introducing the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) of 2025. The bipartisan bill would reauthorize DERA, one of the most efficient and popular federal clean air programs, through fiscal year 2029 at historical funding levels.
“Old, dirty diesel engines pollute our air, harm public health, and fuel climate change—which is already driving up costs for families. But modern upgrades can make these engines cleaner and more efficient. That’s why I’m pleased to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reauthorize this bipartisan program that helps everyone from farmers to fishermen to truckers save on fuel and operating costs, cut cancer-causing emissions, and reduce pollution,” said EPW Ranking Member Whitehouse.
“The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act is bipartisan legislation that has successfully delivered clean air, lowered emissions, and saved money across the board,” said Senator Booker. “For nearly 20 years, senators from both sides of the aisle have come together to reauthorize DERA because we have all seen firsthand how effective this legislation is for fighting pollution and reducing costs. I urge my colleagues in Congress to reauthorize this bill to continue upgrading America’s old diesel engines and make our communities healthier.”
“Diesel exhaust doesn’t just impact our environment; it also impacts public health and the safety of our people,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “I’m glad to join my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation and will continue to be a champion for mitigating our climate crisis and supporting the well-being of our people.”
DERA was initially co-authored by former Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) and the late Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) and was included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the program provides grants and rebates to leverage state and other non-federal funding to finance the voluntary replacement or retrofitting of heavy-duty diesel vehicles and engines. By supporting the replacement or upgrade of older diesel engines with newer, American-made machinery, the DERA program has cut diesel emissions, improved air quality, and protected families’ health.
Every DERA dollar invested in diesel retrofits and replacements generates at least $13 in environmental and public health benefits, and demand for the program remains high. Since its inception, requests for funding have exceeded available funds by as much as 35:1.
Since its implementation, DERA has:
- Supported the upgrade of nearly 74,000 vehicles or engines, including more than 3,200 school buses
- Saved more than 500 million gallons of diesel fuel
- Generated $12.6 billion in health benefits
Historically, DERA has received overwhelming bipartisan support. Congress has reauthorized the program twice: once through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2010 and once via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Full text of the bill is available here.