Yesterday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, of which Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) is a proud member, advanced H.R. 4626, the Don't Mess With My Home Appliances Act.
This legislation, introduced by Congressman Allen, implements necessary reforms to the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) to prevent future administrations from prioritizing a radical rush-to-green agenda over the affordability and availability of reliable household appliances that Americans rely on every day.
Prior to the vote during yesterday's markup, Congressman Allen delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery:
"Under the guise of energy efficiency, the Biden-Harris Administration waged a four-year war on domestic energy and consumer choice, and it was American families that paid the price. From gas stoves, refrigerators, and freezers, to washers, dryers, dish washers, and air conditioners—no household appliance was off limits in their pursuit of a radical rush-to-green agenda. We cannot allow that to happen again.
"That is why I am glad we are considering my bill in the full committee, which would implement necessary reforms to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to prevent future administrations from prioritizing a radical rush-to-green agenda over the affordability and availability of reliable household appliances that Americans rely on every day.
"Congress enacted EPCA in 1975 to increase energy production, reduce demand, and encourage a more efficient use of energy. As part of this effort, EPCA authorized DOE’s Appliance and Equipment Standards Program to set minimum energy efficiency standards for product categories.
"DOE must follow specific statutory criteria for prescribing new or amended standards for covered products and covered equipment. However, over the last several years, DOE has gone beyond its scope of statutory authority by finalizing rules that do not meet the specific statutory criteria.
"These egregious appliance standards have caused homeowners to spend 34 percent more on appliances than they did 15 years ago, while having to replace them at a faster rate. That is why my bill makes reforms that will: eliminate DOE’s requirement to review and update energy conservation standards every six years, establish a new process to allow standards to be revoked or revised, and amend the statutory criteria for determining whether an energy conservation standard is economically justified.
"Additionally, my bill aligns all compliance dates to be five years following a final rule, requires test procedures to be issued at least 180 days before rulemaking action, maintains provisions of current law related to DOJ reviews, clarifies DOE’s authority to amend water efficiency standards for clothes washers and dishwashers, as well as other changes that overall improve the underlying legislation.
"These are commonsense changes that will ensure certainty for manufacturers and consumers and allow for consumer choice. I urge support of my legislation.
