The USA Batteries Act would remove three chemicals—lead oxide, antimony, and sulfuric acid—from being taxable under the Superfund excise taxes in the Internal Revenue Code. The bill frames this change as a correction to tax policy that currently puts domestic battery production at a cost disadvantage relative to imported batteries. Its findings emphasize the importance of the lead battery industry for jobs, economic impact, recycling, and critical sectors such as defense, transportation, and energy. By striking the taxable-chemical rows for these substances, the bill would reduce the tax burden on domestic producers using these chemicals in battery manufacturing. The bill does not create new taxes or modify other aspects of the Superfund program beyond removing these specific chemicals from the list of taxable chemicals. It implies that eliminating the tax on these chemicals would help maintain or enhance competitiveness for American lead battery production and its associated supply chain.
Key Points
- 1The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to remove lead oxide, antimony, and sulfuric acid from being taxable under Superfund excise taxes.
- 2Section 4661(b) of the Code would be amended by striking the rows for these three chemicals.
- 3The bill cites findings that the Superfund tax currently burdens domestic battery production and that imported batteries are not taxed in the same way, affecting competitiveness.
- 4The measure highlights the economic significance of the U.S. lead battery industry (jobs, GDP impact, recycling rate, and critical sector use).
- 5There is no explicit new revenue source or offset in the bill; the fiscal impact would be a reduction in potential Superfund tax receipts related to these chemicals.