H.R. 8232: BATTERY Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-11 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

BATTERY Act of 2020

Plain summary

Bolster American Technology Through Expanding Recycling Yield Act of 2020 or the BATTERY Act of 2020 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a research, development, and demonstration program of recycling of energy critical materials embedded within energy storage systems (e.g., batteries). Energy critical materials means chemicals that have a high risk of a supply disruption and are critical to one or more energy-related technologies; a substantial supply disruption of such material would significantly inhibit large-scale deployment of technologies that produce, transmit, store, or conserve energy. DOE must seek to ensure that any activity receiving funding under the program (1) does not release toxic byproducts into the environment, (2) sufficiently minimizes potential fire risk in facilities where energy storage systems are stored and in the transportation of such systems, and (3) protects the health and safety of all persons involved in or in proximity to such activity.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

BATTERY Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John R. Curtis (R-UT)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8232.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8232 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116