PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RELATING TO "ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM: ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER GAS-FIRED...

PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RELATING TO "ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM: ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER GAS-FIRED...

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)] [House] [Pages H884-H889] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RELATING TO ``ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM: ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR CONSUMER GAS-FIRED INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATERS'' Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 161, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 20) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to ``Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 161, the joint resolution is considered read. The text of the joint resolution is as follows: H.J. Res. 20 Resolved by the Senate and House of presentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to ``Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters'' (89 Fed. Reg. 105188 (December 26, 2024)), and such rule shall have no force or effect. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The joint resolution shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes. [[Page H885]] The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta). {time} 0915 General Leave Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.J. Res. 20. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection. Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, on December 26, while American families were enjoying the holidays, the Biden administration's Department of Energy issued a final rule once again, setting cost prohibitive energy conservation standards for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters. Today, the House will consider the gentleman from Alabama's Sixth District's legislation, H.J. Res. 20, to overturn this egregious standard. Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, EPCA, in order to promulgate new or amended energy efficiency standards, the DOE must find that the standard be cost-effective, technologically feasible, and result in a significant conservation of energy. This amended standard does not meet those criteria and should be repealed. In this final rule, the DOE fails to adequately estimate the cost difference between condensing and noncondensing water heaters. This difference will result in a significant cost increase for consumers, especially low-income households and seniors, by removing more affordable options from the market. In fact, the DOE itself estimated that the amended standard would increase the cost of new water heater models by $231. However, the DOE failed to adequately estimate the cost difference between condensing and noncondensing models in this assessment. On top of expensive installation costs, industry stakeholders estimate the actual cost increase for American consumers will range between $450 to $665 per unit. This staggering increase is not cost- effective, as stipulated by EPCA, and is unattainable for many families. The Biden-Harris administration consistently ignored this stipulation in a number of rulemakings, and the gas heater rule is no different. This amended standard will ban approximately 40 percent of the tankless gas water heaters currently available, forcing consumers to purchase significantly more expensive or less efficient models. Not only do bans on gas appliances infringe on consumer choice, but it also increases strains on our Nation's grid, which cannot sustain such massive and rapid amounts of forced electrification without new, baseload generation coming online. President Trump, understanding the serious concerns unjustified energy efficiency standards pose for consumers, issued an executive order on day one to unleash American energy. This EO stated that it is the policy of the United States to safeguard the American people's freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances. Additionally, this administration has paused implementation of this final rule and issued a Statement of Administration Policy supporting H.J. Res. 20. Congress should pass H.J. Res. 20 to right the wrongs of the previous administration, execute President Trump's agenda, and protect our consumers. I thank the gentleman from Alabama's Sixth District for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 20, the second Republican resolution in just 2 days that will raise energy prices on Americans. This harmful resolution guts a Department of Energy efficiency rule on gas instantaneous, or tankless, water heaters. Energy efficiency standards, like the one Republicans are going after today, are a popular, commonsense tool to save Americans money on their energy bills. President Trump ran on a promise to cut energy costs in half his first year, but now Republicans and their billionaire friends are only making themselves richer while sending Americans' utility bills through the roof. Unfortunately, I guess it should not come as a surprise considering that earlier this week Republicans moved forward with a budget that includes devastating cuts to Medicaid and food assistance for our kids, our seniors, and our veterans, all so Republicans can give tax breaks to their millionaire buddies. Let me start off by dispelling a few myths about the water heater standards targeted by this resolution. First, these standards do not ban water heaters. Regardless of what the rightwing media and fossil fuel groups say, DOE cannot ban appliances based on their fuel type. Second, these standards do not remove consumer choice. American families can still walk into a store, pick out a gas tankless water heater, and have it installed in their homes. In fact, these standards preserve consumer choice. They ensure that all products on the market meet a certain level of energy efficiency so consumers can shop with confidence. The standards impact less than 10 percent of the gas water heater market, and right now, 60 percent of all models on the market already meet these standards. This isn't an effort to pull products from shelves. Instead, it is an effort to raise the quality of the products on the shelves. That is what we are trying to do with the standards. Third, and most importantly, these standards do not increase costs for consumers. They reduce total costs over the life of a water heater and save $3.31 billion for consumers over 30 years. They are also projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32 million metric tons over 30 years. To summarize, these standards allow gas tankless water heaters to stay on the market, they preserve consumer choice, they lower costs for Americans, and they reduce emissions. So it is no wonder that these efficiency standards are supported by consumer advocates and American manufacturers--I stress American manufacturers--who want to preserve the standards. The Republican resolution before us today completely nullifies these energy efficiency standards. It steals, essentially, $3.1 billion in savings from Americans. Because it is a Congressional Review Act resolution, it goes one step further and prevents DOE from issuing substantially similar standards in the future. Now, why are Republicans pursuing something that is bad for consumers? It is because it is good for the gas industry. The American Gas Association and foreign manufacturers are on the side of this Republican resolution that will terminate the standards. Why? It is because inefficient appliances mean that gas companies sell more gas. Now, Mr. Speaker, if you look at where the manufacturers stand on this, three out of four major water heater manufacturers are in favor of the standards and are opposed to this resolution. All three of the manufacturers that support the efficiency standards are American manufacturers, and they have factories in many Republican districts across the country. Foreign manufacturers, however, are lobbying against these standards because they don't want to spend a comparatively small amount of money to retool their factories to produce more efficient water heaters. I understand that companies are reluctant to spend money, but what I don't understand is why Republicans are willing to rob Americans of $3.1 billion in savings, all to help multibillion dollar foreign companies save a few million dollars. Republicans have made their choice. They have basically sided--and I guess that is not surprising--with their oil and gas friends, and they have sided also in this case with foreign manufacturers. So, Mr. Speaker, for the sake of American families, American manufacturers, and our climate, I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), who is the vice-chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce's Energy Subcommittee. Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to hear made-up stories [[Page H886]] on the other side of the aisle, the on

Referenced legislation: HJRES20, HJRES20, HRES161