HR5686-119

Introduced

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.

119th Congress Introduced Oct 3, 2025

Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.

Summary

What This Bill Does

The Battery Fire Prevention Act creates a three-part system to address the growing risk of lithium battery fires: it offers tax credits to recyclers who buy battery detection equipment, imposes a 5% excise tax on all battery sales, and uses that tax revenue to fund a national lithium battery buy-back and recycling program.

Who Benefits and How

Recycling companies benefit from a 30% tax credit on battery detection equipment purchases (X-ray, AI, RFID technology). Approved recycling facilities receive competitive grants to establish battery collection systems and can offer financial incentives to individuals who return used batteries. Battery detection technology manufacturers gain a new market driven by the tax credit.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Battery manufacturers, producers, and importers face a new 5% excise tax on all battery sales, which may be passed on to consumers. Electronics and consumer goods companies that use batteries face higher input costs. Federal agencies must prioritize purchasing lithium batteries from approved recycling facilities.

Key Provisions

  • 30% tax credit for businesses purchasing battery detection equipment for recycling operations
  • 5% excise tax on all battery sales by manufacturers, producers, or importers
  • Lithium Battery Buy-Back Trust Fund funded by the excise tax revenue
  • National Battery Recycling Program jointly administered by DOE and EPA within 5 years

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

Establishes a comprehensive battery fire prevention and recycling framework by creating a tax credit for battery detectors, imposing an excise tax on battery sales, and establishing a national lithium battery buy-back and recycling program.

Key Policy Areas

Taxation, Energy, Environment, Recycling, Fire Safety

Primary Purpose

Establishes a comprehensive battery fire prevention and recycling framework by creating a tax credit for battery detectors, imposing an excise tax on battery sales, and establishing a national lithium battery buy-back and recycling program.

Policy Domains

Taxation Energy Environment Recycling Fire Safety

Battery Fire Prevention Act

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Recycling companies
  • Battery detection technology manufacturers
  • Environmental safety
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: ih

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Battery manufacturers and importers
  • Consumer electronics companies
  • Consumers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: ih

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Legislative Progress

Introduced
Introduced Committee Passed
Oct 3, 2025

Mr. Norcross introduced the following bill; which was referred to …

Stakeholder Effects

cui bono?

How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.

Waste Management & Recycling
5 mentions across 5 clauses
+5 positive

Approved lithium battery recycling facilities, Lithium battery recycling facilities, Recycling businesses purchasing battery detection equipment

Manufacturing
3 mentions across 3 clauses
+1 positive -2 negative

Battery detection equipment manufacturers (X-ray, AI, RFID), Battery manufacturers, Battery manufacturers and producers

Positive-direction: Battery detection equipment manufacturers (X-ray, AI, RFID)

Negative-direction: Battery manufacturers, Battery manufacturers and producers

Government
3 mentions across 3 clauses
+2 positive -1 negative

Department of Energy, Federal agencies purchasing lithium batteries

Positive-direction: Department of Energy

Negative-direction: Federal agencies purchasing lithium batteries

Trade
2 mentions across 2 clauses
-2 negative

Battery importers

Consumers
2 mentions across 1 clause
-2 negative

Consumer electronics companies, Consumers of battery-powered products

7/8
sections analyzed
Full impact breakdown

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
Taxation Energy Environment Recycling Fire Safety
Actor Mappings
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of Energy
"the_administrator"
→ Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Key Definitions

Terms defined in this bill

2 terms
"qualified battery detector expenses" §2

Amounts paid for purchase of any device using X-ray, AI, RFID, or other proven technology to detect batteries, used in trade or business of recycling.

"lithium battery" §5

A lithium metal battery or a lithium-ion battery.

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology