Mariannette Miller-Meeks

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Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time. I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 9615, Battery Recycling for America's Competitive Economy Act, the BRACE Act. This is a bipartisan bill to strengthen America's domestic battery recycling industry and recover critical minerals already in our country. This is on top of bills I have introduced with the same thing, recovering from hard drives. I would also like to thank my colleagues across the aisle, Representatives Menendez and Ruiz, for joining me on this legislation. Demand for lithium-ion batteries has grown exponentially, driven by electric vehicles, energy storage, communication, and consumer products. As these batteries reach the end of their lives, recycling can help recover valuable critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. Yet, much of this material is sent overseas, often to China, for processing. In our landfills, it creates a fire hazard. Our current RCRA regulations, which predate the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries, create unnecessary costs and uncertainty for recyclers. The BRACE Act would allow destination facilities to store lithium-ion batteries at the same location where they are recycled, eliminating unnecessary costs or the need for complex permits. This commonsense update will help grow domestic battery recycling and strengthen our critical mineral supply chains. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the BRACE Act.