Pallone Floor Remarks on H.R. 1640, the Deceptively Named “Save Our Gas Stoves Act”
"This is a Republican messaging bill designed to deliberately mislead the American people about gas stoves. Let’s set the record straight with a little reality – the Biden Administration is NOT banning gas stoves. This is nothing but a political stunt."
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in opposition to H.R. 1640, a bill prohibiting the Department of Energy (DOE) from finalizing energy efficiency standards for electric and gas cooktops:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 1640, the so-called Save Our Gas Stoves Act. This is a Republican messaging bill designed to deliberately mislead the American people about gas stoves. Let's set the record straight with a little reality – the Biden Administration is NOT banning gas stoves. This is nothing but a political stunt. House Republicans continue to put politics over people, and with this bill today, they are once again putting polluters over people.
H.R. 1640 is designed to prevent the Department of Energy from finalizing a recently proposed energy efficiency standard for electric and gas stoves and cooktops that would lower energy bills, improve Americans' health, and cut pollution.
DOE energy efficiency standards are extremely popular. A recent poll found that three out of five Americans support stricter energy efficiency standards for appliances and buildings.
The proposed DOE rule that Republicans are trying to prevent from moving forward is a commonsense standard. The claim that 96% of gas stoves on the market don't meet the proposed DOE standard is just not true. Fifty percent of the market already meets the proposed standard, including all entry level models. But more importantly, the proposed standard also only applies to new gas stoves manufactured and sold three years after the rule is finalized. That would give manufacturers more than enough time to meet these new standards. There is simply no reason for this proposed rule to be controversial. No one is saying you can't keep your gas stove, no one is saying you don't have a choice, no one is saying you have to move to electric stoves – this is all misinformation.
But rather than acknowledging the facts, Republicans are instead employing their usual scare tactics – putting politics over people. Despite what you will hear from my Republican colleagues today, the DOE rule does not ban gas stoves; it does not remove gas stoves from homes; and it does not prevent anyone from putting a gas stove in their home. This rule only applies to new stoves, and as I said, manufacturers have three years to meet the standard. So, all this means is that if a consumer goes to buy a new gas stove in three years, it will be more energy efficient and cheaper to operate. That's a win for consumers, our health, and our ongoing fight to combat the worsening climate crisis.
And to make it worse, Mr. Speaker, Republicans are not just going after this energy efficiency standard. Since the bill does not include a sunset clause, it could forever limit DOE from taking substantive action to improve the energy efficiency of cooktops. This is just another way Republicans are continuing to prop up their polluter friends.
This bill, as well as the REINS Act on the floor later tonight, show that Republicans are skeptical of everything agencies do, including all rulemakings and regulations. Republicans think that they can do the math, conduct the analysis, and reach conclusions better than the subject matter experts at our federal agencies. But that's not how our government works, and we should trust the experts at these agencies to do their jobs. The DOE rulemaking process is detailed and well researched, with ample opportunity for public engagement.
Commonsense energy efficiency standards save everyday Americans money and reduce emissions. These standards are popular, and cooktops that meet the standard are readily available on the market. Republicans claim to care about energy prices, but this Republican bill prohibits DOE from finalizing a rule that could save consumers up to $1.7 billion.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1640 should be rejected so that DOE can proceed with this commonsense energy efficiency standard. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote no.
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