H.R. 7928

[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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