Lizzie Fletcher, TX
“I want this bill to pass. Batteries are important. We need to recycle them better. The EPA will make rules about this. The bill makes EPA do it. The rules will be about fire safety. Batteries can start fires. The rules will also be about health and the environment. Batteries have dangerous stuff. The bill treats different places the same. It keeps safety rules strong. This bill is good for everyone. It is a compromise. Both sides gave up some things. The committee agreed on it. I think it is a good step. I want everyone to support it.”
“I want the House to pass this bill. It makes it easier to recycle batteries in the United States and keeps important minerals here. It also requires clear safety rules to prevent fires and protect our health.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 9615, the BRACE Act, will help us increase the domestic recycling of batteries while keeping critical minerals found in those batteries in the United States for future use. This bill is a compromise and a win-win for the environment and our economic supply chain. First and foremost, this bill will require the Environmental Protection Agency to develop, finally, a regulatory framework specifically for lithium-ion battery recycling that addresses safety concerns while protecting public health and the environment. EPA has promised battery recyclers a lithium-ion battery rule for years, and the BRACE Act will finally get it done. The new rule will consider new safety measures for battery recycling, which is critically important as many landfills and recyclers have been forced to address the fire hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries without any guidance from EPA on how to manage these risks. The rule also requires EPA to take into consideration any impacts on health and the environment. This is because we know that many of the substances found within these batteries are hazardous and should be managed properly. The bill creates parity between facilities that temporarily store lithium-ion batteries before recycling and facilities that store battery waste onsite. It also maintains and, in some cases, establishes stronger regulatory guidelines for safety at these facilities. The BRACE Act offers a meaningful path forward on lithium-ion battery recycling. It ensures we keep critical mineral components in our domestic supply chain, all while protecting health and safety. To be clear, the BRACE Act is a bipartisan compromise. While the text does not include everything either side might have wanted, there was significant bipartisan work done to reach this agreement. I commend my colleagues for their efforts, as this bill unanimously advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I believe the BRACE Act is a reasonable and meaningful step forward on battery recycling, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 9615, the BRACE Act, will help us increase the domestic recycling of batteries while keeping critical minerals found in those batteries in the United States for future use. This bill is a compromise and a win-win for the environment and our economic supply chain. First and foremost, this bill will require the Environmental Protection Agency to develop, finally, a regulatory framework specifically for lithium-ion battery recycling that addresses safety concerns while protecting public health and the environment. EPA has promised battery recyclers a lithium-ion battery rule for years, and the BRACE Act will finally get it done. The new rule will consider new safety measures for battery recycling, which is critically important as many landfills and recyclers have been forced to address the fire hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries without any guidance from EPA on how to manage these risks. The rule also requires EPA to take into consideration any impacts on health and the environment. This is because we know that many of the substances found within these batteries are hazardous and should be managed properly. The bill creates parity between facilities that temporarily store lithium-ion batteries before recycling and facilities that store battery waste onsite. It also maintains and, in some cases, establishes stronger regulatory guidelines for safety at these facilities. The BRACE Act offers a meaningful path forward on lithium-ion battery recycling. It ensures we keep critical mineral components in our domestic supply chain, all while protecting health and safety. To be clear, the BRACE Act is a bipartisan compromise. While the text does not include everything either side might have wanted, there was significant bipartisan work done to reach this agreement. I commend my colleagues for their efforts, as this bill unanimously advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I believe the BRACE Act is a reasonable and meaningful step forward on battery recycling, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.