Congressman Gary Palmer, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, delivered an opening statement at a markup session for seven bills before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment on July 14.
Palmer said, “Today, we will consider seven pieces of legislation, most of which are bipartisan. Three bills we will be marking up support the recovery of critical minerals and materials from domestic sources, rather than continuing to rely on adversaries such as China that dominate the critical mineral supply chain.”
Among the legislation discussed was H.R. 9615, known as the Battery Recycling for America’s Competitive Economy or ‘BRACE’ Act. Palmer said this bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to consider updating its regulations regarding lithium-ion batteries under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to address changes in battery usage and support domestic recycling efforts. Another bill highlighted was H.R. 9616, or ‘EMRTAI’ Act, which would authorize a program at EPA to identify and recover critical materials at contaminated sites while remediating those locations.
Palmer also introduced H.R. 9617, called the Coordinating and Harnessing America’s Recovery of Minerals or ‘CHARM’ Act. He said this bipartisan measure would require EPA to develop a National Critical Mineral Recovery Strategy aimed at securing access to important resources.
The committee also reviewed four Clean Air Act-related bills: H.R. 2140 (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act), H.R. 3194 (LOCMOTIVES Act), H.R. 9317 (BUSES Act), and H.R. 9618 (Diesel Engine Flexibility Act). Palmer said these proposals aim to update specific provisions within existing law while maintaining environmental protections.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible for legislation concerning energy policy, health care issues, environmental protection measures, telecommunications regulation, consumer matters, energy innovation initiatives, broadband deployment policies, and pharmaceutical pricing reforms; it is one of Congress’s oldest standing committees with origins dating back to its formation as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures in 1795, according to the official website.