House passes GOP bill to prevent Biden from regulating home appliances.
Dems and GOP Team Up to Block Biden’s Ban on Gas Appliances
In a rare display of bipartisanship, Democrats and Republicans joined forces to pass a bill aimed at preventing the Biden administration from banning everyday home appliances that run on natural gas. The Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act, spearheaded by Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., passed by a vote of 212 to 195, with seven Democrats crossing party lines to support it.
The bill is part of a larger legislative effort targeting the Department of Energy (DOE) and seeks to ensure that any new policy standards take into account factors such as cost-effectiveness and the impact on low-income families. It also mandates that the DOE consider the full-life cycle costs of home appliances before issuing any new guidance.
Rep. Lesko emphasized the importance of protecting Americans’ right to choose their appliances, stating, “No government bureaucrat should ever scheme to take away Americans’ appliances in the name of a radical environmental agenda.”
The Biden administration’s green energy policies have come under scrutiny from House Republicans, who have attributed rising energy costs to the President’s climate agenda. GOP lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aimed at preventing the DOE from implementing restrictions that would affect commonly used products.
Last year, Rep. Lesko introduced the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, which passed in the House but faces uncertainty in the Democrat-controlled Senate. She emphasized the opposition to government interference in homes and lives, echoing the sentiments of millions of Americans across the country.
A proposed overhaul of energy efficiency standards, put forth by the DOE in February 2023, would have removed up to 50% of gas stoves from the market by 2027. The plan faced backlash from conservatives and was ultimately left out of the finalized energy efficiency standards announced by the Biden administration in January.
It remains to be seen how the battle over energy efficiency standards and appliance regulations will unfold as lawmakers navigate the complex interplay between environmental concerns, consumer choice, and economic impact.
