October 3, 2025
Mr. Norcross introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against tax for expenses relating to the purchase of battery detectors, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Battery Fire Prevention Act
.
Sec. 2. Tax credit for battery detectors
(a) Establishment of credit
(1) In general
Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
45BB. Credit for battery detectors
(a) In general
For purposes of section 38, the battery detector credit determined under this section for any taxable year is the amount equal to 30 percent of the qualified battery detector expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year.
(b) Qualified battery detector expenses
The term qualified battery detector expenses means, with respect to any taxpayer, amounts paid or incurred for the purchase of any device—
(1)
which uses X-ray technology, artificial intelligence, radio-frequency identification, or other proven technology to detect batteries,
(2)
the original use of which begins with such taxpayer, and
(3)
which is used by such taxpayer in the trade or business of recycling.
(c) Denial of double benefit
In the case of any qualified battery detector expenses with respect to which credit is allowed under subsection (a)—
(1)
no other credit or deduction shall be allowed for, or by reason of, any such expense to the extent of the amount of such credit, and
(2)
the basis of any property shall be reduced by the amount of such credit to the extent that such expenses were taken into account in determining such basis.
(2) Clerical amendment
The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
(b) Credit made part of general business credit
Section 38(b) of such Code is amended by striking plus
at the end of paragraph (40), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (41) and inserting , plus
, and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(42)
the battery detector credit determined under section 45BB.
(c) Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
Sec. 3. Imposition of tax on sales of batteries
(a) In general
Chapter 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after subchapter D the following new subchapter:
E Other Items
4191. Battery tax
There is hereby imposed on the sale of any battery by the manufacturer, producer, or importer a tax equal to 5 percent of the price for which so sold.
(b) Clerical amendment
The table of subchapters for chapter 32 of such Code is amended by inserting after the item relating to subchapter D the following new item:
(c) Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to sales made after December 31, 2025.
Sec. 4. Lithium Battery Buy-back Trust Fund
(a) In general
Subchapter A of Chapter 98 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
9512. Lithium Battery Buy-back Trust Fund
(a) Creation of Trust Fund
There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund to be known as the
Lithium Battery Buy-Back Trust Fund, consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated to such Trust Fund as provided in this section.(b) Transfer to Trust Fund of amounts equivalent to certain taxes
There are hereby appropriated to the Lithium Battery Buy-Back Trust Fund amounts equivalent to the taxes received in the Treasury under section 4191.
(c) Expenditures from Trust Fund
Amounts in the Lithium Battery Buy-Back Trust Fund shall be available, without further appropriation, to the Secretary of Energy to carry out the National Battery Recycling Program described in section 5 of the Battery Fire Prevention Act.
(b) Clerical amendment
The table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
(c) Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxes received after December 31, 2025.
Sec. 5. National Battery Recycling Program
(a) Establishment
Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall jointly issue a rule to establish a program to recover and recycle used lithium batteries, to be known as the National Battery Recycling Program, under which—
(1)
the Secretary shall identify and approve facilities that recycle lithium batteries and make publicly available a list of such approved facilities, which shall include each facility that is a recipient of a grant to recycle lithium batteries under section 40207 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18741); and
(2)
the Secretary and Administrator shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to such approved facilities to establish and implement a system for the acceptance and collection of used lithium batteries, under which system such a facility may offer a financial incentive to any individual who turns in a used lithium battery to the facility.
(b) Funding
In carrying out the National Battery Recycling Program, the Secretary of Energy may only use amounts from the Lithium Battery Buy-Back Trust Fund established under section 9512 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by section 4.
(c) Purchase of lithium batteries from approved facilities
Each head of a Federal agency who purchases a lithium battery shall, to the maximum extent possible, prioritize purchasing such lithium battery from a facility approved pursuant to subsection (a)(1).
(d) Lithium battery defined
In this section, the term lithium battery means a lithium metal battery or a lithium-ion battery.