S. 1602: BEST Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-05-22 · Energy · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 255.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-05-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 255. 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

BEST Act

Plain summary

Better Energy Storage Technology Act or the BEST Act This bill addresses research, development, and demonstration programs relating to energy storage systems. Among other requirements, the Department of Energy must establish a research, development, and deployment program for energy storage systems, including distributed and transportation energy storage technologies and applications; enter into agreements to carry out at least five demonstration projects and develop a 10-year strategic plan for energy storage systems; establish a competitive grant program to assist certain states and tribal governments, institutions of higher education, utilities, and private energy storage companies carry out demonstration projects for pilot energy storage systems; provide technical and planning assistance to help certain electric cooperatives, political subdivisions of states, nonprofit entities, and utilities procure energy storage systems; and award competitive prizes for advancing the recycling of critical energy storage materials such as lithium and cobalt.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate), 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

BEST Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1602, BEST Act (2019-10-22)

Cosponsors on this site

Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] reported raising $22.5 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 (Reported to Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s1602.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s1602 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116