Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act
Sponsored By: Representative Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create and authorize expeditionary solid waste disposal systems for destroying illicit contraband and ban the use of open-air burn pits for that purpose.
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- Military installations, forward operating bases, and partner security forces would be able to use portable disposal systems to destroy seized counterfeit goods, unauthorized military gear, illegal narcotics, and classified materials.
- The Secretary of Defense would be prohibited from using open-air burn pits to dispose of illicit contraband, classified military equipment, or hazardous waste.
- The bill moves $9.0 million in FY2026 to Other Procurement, Army for these disposal systems and offsets it by reducing FY2026 Operation and Maintenance, Army overseas operating costs by the same amount.
*If enacted, the bill would reallocate $9.0 million within Army accounts for FY2026, leaving net FY2026 spending unchanged.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Safer military contraband disposal rules
If enacted, the Secretary of Defense would be barred from using open-air burn pits to dispose of illicit contraband, classified gear, or hazardous waste. The bill would let DoD deploy mobile solid-waste disposal systems instead. These systems would destroy seized counterfeit goods, unauthorized military gear, illegal drugs, and classified items. Units would be equipped to support border security and drug interdiction, and could assist bases, forward sites, and partner forces.
Cut burn pit funds; buy disposal gear
If enacted, the bill would add $8.95 million in fiscal year 2026 to Army procurement to buy solid waste disposal systems. It would cut $8.95 million from Army overseas operating costs tied to open-air burn pits. The change would shift money within the Army, not raise taxes or fees. This would be a one-time change for fiscal year 2026.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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