HR 973: Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act

HR 973 in plain English: This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a safety rule for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in micromobility devices like electric bikes and electric scooters. The rule would mandate that manufacturers and distributors comply with safety standards developed jointly by the American National Standards Institute, the Standards Council of Canada, and UL Solutions Inc.

Stated purpose

This bill directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue mandatory safety standards for lithium-ion batteries used in electric bikes, electric scooters, and similar devices, based on existing safety standards developed by recognized standards organizations.

Key points

• Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a safety rule for lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters.
• Manufacturers and distributors must comply with safety standards set by ANSI, the Standards Council of Canada, and UL Solutions.
• Covers rechargeable lithium-ion batteries specifically used in micromobility devices.

Arguments supporters make

• Fires and explosions from lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and scooters have injured and killed people; requiring proven safety standards can prevent those harms.
• The bill uses standards already developed by recognized experts, so the government is not reinventing the wheel — it is simply making voluntary industry standards mandatory and enforceable.
• A clear, uniform federal standard gives responsible manufacturers a level playing field and helps keep unsafe, non-compliant products off the market.

Arguments opponents make

• Making voluntary standards mandatory by law locks in today's rules and could slow adoption of newer, better safety technologies developed after the bill passes.
• Small manufacturers and importers may struggle with the cost and complexity of compliance, potentially raising prices or reducing competition in the e-bike and scooter market.
• Critics may argue that existing consumer product safety law already gives the Commission authority to act, making a separate mandate from Congress unnecessary and potentially duplicative.

Tradeoffs

Requiring manufacturers to meet specific safety standards may reduce the risk of battery fires for consumers, but it also adds compliance costs and reduces flexibility for manufacturers to adapt quickly to evolving technology. The bill also shifts some standard-setting influence to private standards organizations, whose future revisions automatically become federal rules unless the Commission objects.

Current status in Congress: Passed House.

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