CHARM Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9617
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T10:23:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9617: Coordinating and Harnessing America's Recovery of Minerals Act (CHARM Act)
Purpose
This legislation amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator to develop and implement a National Critical Mineral Recovery Strategy. The goal is to coordinate federal efforts to recover critical minerals from discarded materials, such as waste, to support domestic supply chains.
Key Provisions
- Strategy Development: The EPA Administrator must create the Strategy in consultation with other relevant federal agencies. The Strategy must:
- Identify existing federal programs and authorities related to recovering critical minerals from waste.
- Explore ways to expand recovery efforts and address barriers, including legal and technological ones.
- Consider recovery from mining waste, metal processing waste, and other discarded materials.
- Evaluate how recovered minerals can strengthen U.S. supply chains.
- Focus on methods that minimize risks to human health and the environment.
- Reporting Requirements: Within 2 years of enactment and every 2 years after, the Administrator must submit a report to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The report must be made public and include details on actions taken, ongoing plans, and any legislative recommendations.
- Definition: "Critical mineral" follows the meaning in section 7002(a)(3) of the Energy Act of 2020.
- Conforming Change: Adds the new section to the table of contents in the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new section (2009) to Subtitle B of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, creating a formal federal coordination requirement for critical mineral recovery from waste. It does not repeal or directly alter prior provisions but adds ongoing reporting and strategy obligations to existing EPA responsibilities.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires the EPA to lead coordination with other federal agencies, potentially increasing administrative workload for planning, reporting, and interagency collaboration.
- Citizens and Economy: May support expanded domestic recovery of critical minerals, which could affect supply chains for industries like electronics and energy, though direct effects on individuals are not specified.
- International Relations: No direct provisions address international matters, but improved domestic recovery could indirectly reduce reliance on foreign mineral sources.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal agencies, primarily the EPA and those involved in waste, mining, or energy programs.
- Industries handling discarded materials, mining waste, or mineral processing.
- Congress, through required reports and potential future legislation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill focuses on administrative coordination and reporting without creating new regulatory mandates or penalties. It raises no apparent constitutional concerns, as it operates within existing environmental law frameworks. Politically, it emphasizes federal strategy development to address resource recovery, with bipartisan sponsorship noted in the introduction.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Coordinating and Harnessing America’s Recovery of Minerals Act — issued 2026-07-09 — PDF (5 pages)