A bipartisan bill aimed at improving the safety of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries is still awaiting action in the U.S. Senate, as advocates warn the threat of more fires caused by the batteries, which are commonly found in e-bikes and scooters, remains. 

Some are pointing the finger of blame for the "holdup" at one Republican senator.

“This is a public safety emergency,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, one of the bill’s sponsors, said. “We’ve seen so many building fires, we’ve seen so many people dying in New York.”

The legislation, which is co-sponsored by several New York lawmakers and has the backing of the FDNY, would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to create federal standards for the batteries. 

Back in May, the U.S. House passed the legislation, with wide bipartisan support. In July, a Senate committee advanced the bill. 

But since then, the legislation has yet to get a vote in the full Senate. 

“It’s an unprecedented crisis in fire safety. It's become too glaring to ignore, and so we're calling upon the Senate to pass the legislation," Rep. Ritchie Torres, the bill’s lead House sponsor, said.

Since 2019, New York City officials have investigated more than 860 fires as being sparked by lithium-ion batteries, according to data provided by the FDNY. Thirty-one people have been killed, and hundreds more were injured. 

Some Democrats accuse Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of holding things up, arguing he is procedurally slowing down the Senate’s ability to act. 

During a hearing in late July, Cruz raised concerns about the agency that would be tasked with issuing the new regulations. 

“The CPSC has been operating outside of its authority, particularly with respect to its ridiculous escapade to try to ban gas stoves. This is unacceptable,” he said. “Congress should not reward that conduct by giving more authorities to this rogue agency.”

A spokesperson for Cruz dismisses the allegation he is holding up the bill, saying New York’s senior Senator — Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — “largely controls the floor schedule.”

In a statement, Schumer said the need for federal action is “urgent."

“I won’t stop fighting and working with families and advocates to get this done," he added.

Gillibrand said she is hopeful that Congress can get the bill done when they return to D.C. following the November election.

“It’s endorsed by firefighters associations, by experts for product safety — it’s a really smart bill,” she said.