[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7928 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7928
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue certain regulations
with respect to the safe transportation of lithium-ion cells or
batteries, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 12, 2026
Ms. Titus introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to issue certain regulations
with respect to the safe transportation of lithium-ion cells or
batteries, 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 ``Thermal Runaway Reduction Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Lithium-ion cell or battery.--The term ``lithium-ion
cell or battery''--
(A) means a rechargeable electrochemical cell or
battery in which the positive and negative electrodes
are both intercalation compounds constructed with no
metallic lithium in either electrode; but
(B) does not include a cell or battery described in
subsections (c) and (g)(2) of section 173.185 of title
49, Code of Federal Regulations.
(2) Thermal runaway.--The term ``thermal runaway'' means an
uncontrolled increase of cell temperature caused by exothermic
reactions inside cells and batteries, including lithium-ion
cells or batteries.
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFE TRANSPORT OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Transportation shall--
(1) work with the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on
the Transportation of Dangerous Goods to revise the design
tests in subsection 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria
to develop an impact test for lithium-ion cells or batteries
installed in transport units and transported under UN 3536 to
allow improved ability to withstand forces experienced in
transport accidents without going into thermal runaway;
(2) issue such regulations as are necessary to amend
section 173.185 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to
require lithium-ion cells or batteries to be offered for
commercial transport at a state of charge not exceeding 30
percent of the rated capacity of such cells or batteries
(determined through the guidance and methodology under section
38.3.2.3 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria of the United
Nations) and authorize the transportation of lithium-ion cells
or batteries at a state of charge greater than 30 percent of
the rated capacity of such cells or batteries only under
conditions approved by the Associate Administrator for
Hazardous Materials of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration in accordance with the requirements in
subpart H of part 107 of such title;
(3) issue such regulations as are necessary or promulgate
final guidance on the safe transportation of damaged,
defective, or recalled lithium-ion cells or batteries, and such
regulations or guidance shall include guidance on the
packaging, movement, and disposal of damaged, defective, or
recalled lithium-ion cells or batteries; and
(4) every five years review the regulations and guidelines
under this section and update them, as appropriate, to account
for other emerging batteries or cells that pose a risk of
thermal runaway as a result from a fire during commercial
transport.
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR INNOVATIVE THERMAL RUNAWAY SUPPRESSION
STRATEGIES.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Pipelines and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall conduct a program to
provide grants to eligible entities to test and study--
(1) the effectiveness of innovative technologies and
methods to suppress thermal runaway in lithium-ion cells or
batteries transported under UN 3536 in commercial transport
units;
(2) the impact of the state of charge of a battery or cell
being transported under UN 3536 on methods to suppress thermal
runaway in lithium-ion cells or batteries; and
(3) methods for emergency responders to verify the state of
charge of a battery or cell being transported under UN 3536
experiencing thermal runaway as a result of a fire or crash
during commercial transport.
(b) Eligibility.--Facilities that specialize in fire suppression
testing shall be eligible to receive grants under this section.
(c) Prioritization.--In issuing grants under this section, the
Administrator shall prioritize projects that test suppression
technologies that--
(1) do not contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl
substances; and
(2) are cost effective.
(d) Timing.--
(1) Application period.--The Administrator shall--
(A) finalize grant eligibility requirements and
begin soliciting applications not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act;
(B) provide 90 days for entities to submit to the
Administrator applications for such a grant;
(C) select recipients of grants under this section
not later than 180 days after the date on which
solicitation begins under subparagraph (A); and
(D) in any case in which a deadline under
subparagraph (A) or (C) is not met, submit to Congress
a report containing any reasons either such deadline
was not met.
(2) Grant completion.--Each grant recipient shall conclude
the project for which a grant is awarded not later than 18
months after funds are provided to such recipient.
(e) Reporting Requirements.--In carrying out the program under this
section, the Administrator shall ensure that each grant recipient, upon
conclusion of an activity funded by a grant under this section, submits
to the Administrator a report on the findings of any tests conducted
pursuant to such grant.
(f) Recommendations.--Not later than 120 days after the receipt of
all reports required under subsection (e), the Administrator shall
review the findings submitted by grant awardees and submit to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report containing--
(1) any findings related to the grant program under this
section, including which fire suppression tools and techniques
were found to be most effective at suppressing thermal runaway
resulting from a lithium-ion cell or battery fire;
(2) the impact of the state of charge of a battery on the
techniques and tools studied under the grant program;
(3) information on the best methods to verify the state of
charge of a lithium-ion battery or cell after a nonconsumptive
event and how that information can inform decisions about how
to safely mitigate thermal runaway; and
(4) recommendations on whether, based on such review,
updated guidance or training of the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration is necessary.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2027 through
2031 to carry out this section.
SEC. 5. INCREASING ACCESS TO THERMAL RUNAWAY SUPPRESSION TOOLS.
(a) Lithium Fire Safety Grants.--Section 5107 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Lithium Fire Safety Grants.--The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant program making grants available to volunteer or
career fire departments, or combination of such fire departments, for--
``(1) equipment, including blankets to suppress thermal
runaway, portable fire suppression agents, and other equipment
that the Secretary determines is appropriate, to support the
suppression of thermal runaway resulting from the
transportation of lithium-ion cells or batteries;
``(2) field-deployed residual-energy assessment and cell-
integrity diagnostics;
``(3) environmental monitoring suites and runoff control to
assist with cleanup after a thermal runaway event; and
``(4) access and containment tools, over-pack systems, and
packaging for damaged, defective, or recalled lithium-ion
batteries or cells.
``(k) Timing of Grant Process.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
process for each grant awarded under this section provides for the
following:
``(1) A period of 90 days for entities to submit to the
Administrator applications for such a grant.
``(2) Selection of the recipients of grants not later than
180 days after the date on which solicitation of such grants is
initiated.''.
(b) Timing.--The Secretary of Transportation shall finalize grant
eligibility requirements and begin soliciting applications for the
grant program established under section 5107(j) of title 49, United
States Code, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act.
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