Subcommittees

On the House Floor: H.R. 6192 to reform the Energy Policy Conservation Act The Biden administration is waging war on American energy, and this war is making its way into Americans’ homes. President Biden and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Granholm are sacrificing peoples’ ability to purchase affordable and reliable products for their homes in their pursuit of a radical rush-to-green agenda. Housing prices and utility bills are already too high for Americans, but that isn’t stopping the administration from continuing to impose burdensome regulations. Since taking office, the Biden administration has been attacking common and popular household appliances in the name of “energy efficiency.” In fact, last year the Biden administration proposed a ban on gas stoves as part of its war against fossil fuels. More recently, the DOE has announced plans to regulate washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and more, which is forcing people to spend more for less reliable options. Even worse, these new regulations fail to accomplish their stated goals as they will NOT save a significant amount of energy and are NOT cost-effective. For example, the DOE’s own analysis finds that efficiency mandates on dishwashers could increase the upfront cost by 28% and it could take consumers 12 years to payback the increased costs on a product that may only last 7-12 years.    This comes at a time when Americans are already being crushed by rising costs thanks to Bidenflation. By continuing to double down on policies like these, the Biden administration is showing just how out of touch they are with the financial struggles the vast majority of Americans are feeling. In contrast, House Republicans are leading to protect Americans from federal mandates that result in minimal energy savings while significantly driving up costs. Today, the House will consider H.R. 6192, the Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act , led by Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), to preserve the affordability, availability, and quality of the household appliances Americans rely on every day. Here’s why H.R. 6192 is important: Enacted in 1975, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) provides specific criteria the DOE must follow in order to propose a new appliance efficiency standard. The DOE may only propose a new standard if it results in a significant conservation of energy, is technologically feasible, and economically justified. The Biden administration has consistently ignored these critical consumer protections by proposing and finalizing standards that violate the statute. H.R. 6192 would prevent this abuse by: Eliminating unnecessary and duplicative rulemaking requirements  Authorizing the Secretary of Energy to amend or revoke a standard if it increases costs for consumers, does not result in significant energy or water savings, is not technologically feasible, or results in the unavailability of product  Protecting affordability by requiring the DOE to consider the cost to low-income households and the full-life cycle cost of appliances when determining if the new standard is economically justified  Establishing minimum thresholds for energy or water savings that must be achieved before imposing new standards  Prohibiting the Secretary of Energy from banning products based on what type of fuel that product uses (no natural gas bans)  Bottomline:  At a time when the American people are struggling under the crushing weight of Bidenflation, the last thing they need is more government mandates that drive up costs and fail to achieve their stated mission.

H.R. 6192 protects Americans from federal mandates that drive up costs Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) spoke on the House Floor in support of H.R. 6192 , which will stop the Biden administration’s attack on consumer freedom and preserve the affordability, availability, and quality of the household appliances Americans rely on. Her prepared remarks are below: “I would like to start by thanking the bill sponsor, Mrs. Debbie Lesko of Arizona, and the Members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing this bill through regular order. “The U.S. is blessed with tremendous natural resources. We have the cleanest oil and natural gas in the world, emissions-free nuclear, hydropower, and renewables. “We also have the world’s best workforce, and an innovative spirit that has contributed to technological breakthroughs that have changed the world. “For centuries, American innovation has led to new technologies that have improved people’s lives. “From the light bulb and the home refrigerator to air conditioning, the washing machine, and the dishwasher, these inventions are ingrained in modern life, and they were not the result of aggressive government mandates or regulation—but of American ingenuity.” OUT OF CONTROL APPLIANCE MANDATES “Sadly, the Biden administration’s war on American energy is now reaching inside Americans’ homes. “Through sue-and-settle agreements with radical environmental activists, the Department of Energy has reached backroom deals to impose new regulations on dozens of appliances that Americans rely on every single day. “Last year, the Biden administration attempted to ban gas stoves. “Thankfully DOE changed course after bipartisan opposition and an overwhelming vote by Congress to reverse the ban. “These new mandates are forcing people to spend more for less reliable options. “This comes at a time when Americans are already being crushed by rising costs thanks to Bidenflation. “By continuing to double down on policies like these, the Biden administration is showing just how out of touch they are with the financial struggle the vast majority of Americans are feeling. “Americans simply can’t afford President Biden’s rush-to-green agenda." HANDS OFF OUR HOME APPLIANCES “The bill led by Mrs. Lesko seeks to protect Americans from federal mandates that result in minimal energy savings while significantly driving up costs for consumers. “It ensures that DOE is only allowed to adopt efficiency regulations on home appliances that are cost-effective, technologically feasible, and save a significant amount of energy. “This will benefit Americans across the country, and should be a bipartisan issue, which is why I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation to send a strong message to the Biden Administration.”

Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee hearing titled “EPA’s RMP Rule: Failures to Protect the American People and American Manufacturing.”  "The United States has long led the world in innovation and entrepreneurship, while continuing to maintain some of the highest environmental and labor standards in the world.  “This leadership has not been the result of a top-down, government-knows-best system.  “It’s the result of free market principles, and an entrepreneurial spirit that’s uniquely American.  “Our energy resources have enabled America to reduce emissions more than any other nation.  “This is a legacy we should be proud of and build off.  “Energy and Commerce Republicans have been working hard to do just that by advancing smart policies that protect and expand American leadership for generations to come.”  BIDEN’S RADICAL AGENDA   “The Biden administration, on the other hand, has been advancing policies that threaten this legacy.  “These actions are putting America on a dangerous path, they’re driving up inflation, killing manufacturing, and handing control of our future to China.  “The EPA has been at the center of this agenda.  “At a time when more than half the nation is at elevated risk of forced blackouts, the EPA has been finalizing new power plant rules that will shut down the types of electric generation needed to keep the lights on.  “Policies like their new PM2.5 standards will jeopardize manufacturing and jobs across the country.   “There are a hundred more examples of harmful policies and regulations like these coming out of President Biden’s EPA.  “When taken together these efforts will raise prices for Americans and open the door for China to replace American production and further pollute the environment.”  EPA’S RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (RMP) RULE   “Today, the Subcommittee will explore yet another one of these harmful regulations—the EPA rule that will massively expand Risk Management Plan (RMP) program requirements. “The truth is, everyone in this room wants American factories that operate responsibly and that ensure communities across the country are safe. “We also want those same communities to thrive and for people to have access to good, reliable jobs. “Under the RMP rules, we’ve seen a significant decrease in accidents over the last two decades. "EPA’s own data suggests that there was a 70 percent reduction in annual reported incidents between 2004 and 2020, and 97 percent of RMP-regulated facilities reported no accidents at all between 2016 and 2020.  “But this new RMP rule from the Biden EPA will force American manufacturers out of business or force them to move their operations overseas.  “If the rule itself wasn’t bad enough, President Biden’s EPA limited the comment period, preventing the public and the businesses impacted from being able to weigh in.  “Today we will pull the curtains back and learn more about the risks of this new rule.”  CONSEQUENCES OF THE RMP RULE   “The Clean Air Act requires RMP rules be ‘reasonable.’  “As we will discuss today, the EPA’s new rule fails to meet that simple requirement.  “Instead, this rule will raise gas prices for people across the country—which have already increased an average of 57 cents this year.   “According to AAA, gas prices have increased $1.25 nationwide since Biden took office. In my home state of Washington, the increase has been even greater.  “This new rule will only add to the pain Americans are already feeling at the pump, as we head into the peak summer travel season.  “The costs of essential goods and services will also rise as a result of the changes to RMP.  “It will harm small and medium sized refineries, who will be forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to comply.  “These impacted refineries account for 40 percent of existing and operating U.S. refining capacity. “Water utilities, manufacturers, agricultural retailers, pulp and paper producers, cold storage warehouses all could be forced to spend significant amounts of money to comply, or face shut down. “Instead of undermining American economic success, let’s work together to build on our remarkable legacy by embracing America’s tradition of balancing economic and environmental leadership, which will help lowers costs for Americans, create jobs, and prevent us from becoming reliant on China.”