The House passed legislation Tuesday that would give the federal government new authority to repeal existing energy efficiency standards while making it more difficult to adopt new ones in the future.
The “Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act,” H.R. 4626, sponsored by Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), passed the House in a 217–190 vote, with the support of a handful of Democrats.
Allen and other supporters argue the bill’s rollback of the Department of Energy’s efficiency authority is necessary to rein in what they describe as overzealous, climate-driven regulations that have raised appliance prices and restricted consumer choice.
“From gas stoves, refrigerators and freezers to washers, dryers, dishwashers and air conditioners, no household appliance was off limits in the Biden administration’s pursuit of the ‘Green New Scam,’” Allen said. “We could not allow that to happen again.”
