[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2528 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2528

  To promote the safe manufacture, use, and transportation of lithium 
              batteries and cells, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 10, 2016

  Mr. Nelson introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To promote the safe manufacture, use, and transportation of lithium 
              batteries and cells, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Lithium Battery Safety Act of 
2016''.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTIONS ON SHIPMENT OF LITHIUM BATTERIES IN AIR 
              TRANSPORTATION.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 828 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 
2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) and the item relating to that section in 
section 1(b) of that Act (126 Stat. 14) are repealed.
    (b) Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall--
                    (A) initiate a comprehensive review of the existing 
                regulations under part 171-181 of title 49, Code of 
                Federal Regulations, and any applicable regulations 
                under title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, regarding 
                the air transportation, including passenger-carrying 
                and cargo aircraft, of lithium batteries and cells; and
                    (B) based on the review under subparagraph (A), 
                take any additional appropriate action to sufficiently 
                mitigate risks posed by lithium batteries and cells to 
                safe air transport.
            (2) Considerations.--In conducting the review under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider whether the 
        existing regulations and the International Civil Aviation 
        Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of 
        Dangerous Goods by Air are sufficient to mitigate the safety 
        risk posed to air transportation by carriage of lithium 
        batteries and cells.

SEC. 3. LITHIUM BATTERY SAFETY WORKING GROUP.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the President shall establish a lithium battery safety 
working group to promote and coordinate efforts related to the 
promotion of the safe manufacture, use, and transportation of lithium 
batteries and cells.
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The working group shall be composed of at 
        least 1 representative from each of the following:
                    (A) Consumer Product Safety Commission.
                    (B) Department of Transportation.
                    (C) National Institute on Standards and Technology.
            (2) Additional members.--The working group may include not 
        more than 4 additional members with expertise in the safe 
        manufacture, use, or transportation of lithium batteries and 
        cells.
            (3) Subcommittees.--The President, or members of the 
        working group, may--
                    (A) establish working group subcommittees to focus 
                on specific issues related to the safe manufacture, 
                use, or transportation of lithium batteries and cells; 
                and
                    (B) include in a subcommittee the participation of 
                nonmember stakeholders with expertise in areas that the 
                President or members consider necessary.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date it is established 
under subsection (a), the working group shall--
            (1) research--
                    (A) additional ways to decrease the risk of fires 
                and explosions from lithium batteries and cells;
                    (B) additional ways to ensure uniform 
                transportation requirements for both bulk and 
                individual batteries; and
                    (C) new or existing technologies that could reduce 
                the fire and explosion risk of lithium batteries and 
                cells; and
            (2) transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the research under paragraph (1), 
        including any legislative recommendations to effectuate the 
        safety improvements described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
        of that paragraph.
    (d) Exemption From FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the working group.
    (e) Termination.--The working group, and any working group 
subcommittees, shall terminate 90 days after the date the report is 
transmitted under subsection (c).
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