The House passed (249-181), sending the measure to the Senate, H.R.1640, the Save Our Gas Stoves Act to prohibit what she terms as unreasonable energy standards for cooking products and block the U.S. Department of Energy from implementing its burdensome proposed efficiency standard for gas cooking products.

“President Biden’s Department of Energy is attempting to implement an extreme regulation that would effectively ban gas stoves,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “This is just an attempt by the Department of Energy to institute government control in every aspect of Americans’ lives. I am proud to introduce this important bill to protect Americans’ gas stoves and put a stop to this abuse of power.”

This legislation amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prevent the Secretary of Energy from implementing energy conservation standards if the standards result in the unavailability of a product on account of the type of fuel the product uses. The bill also prohibits the Department of Energy from finalizing and implementing the February 1, 2023, proposed energy efficiency standard for gas cooking products.

In favor of the Save Our Gas Stoves Act:

Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC):

“It is no secret this administration has waged war on American energy, doing everything in their power to phase out oil and gas.

“They are now taking it a step further, dictating what appliances Americans purchase for their homes based on the fuel source.

“Households that use natural gas for heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $1,068 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.

“Low-income Americans will be most harmed by the rush to green and mass electrification efforts pursued by the Biden administration.

“The Save Our Gas Stoves Act would prevent this by prohibiting the Secretary of Energy from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the current proposed energy conservation standard for consumer conventional cooking products and prohibit the enactment of any substantially similar rule and clarifying the Energy Policy and Conservation Act prohibits an implementation of an energy conservation standard that would result in a product being unavailable based upon the type of product the fuel consumes.

“Americans should be free to choose what cooking product they use in their homes and this bill ensures that.

“Unfortunately, the gas stove rulemaking is part of a larger effort against consumer appliances to federally mandate that Americans purchase ‘climate friendlier’ appliances."

Opposed to the Save Our Gas Stoves Act:

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr.'s (D-NJ): 

"H.R. 1640, the so-called “Save Our Gas Stoves Act” is nothing more than a cheap political stunt to continue the Republican scare tactics and outright misinformation when it comes to energy efficiency standards.

H.R. 1640 prevents the Department of Energy (DOE from finalizing a common sense, Congressionally-mandated, energy efficiency standard for new cooktops. The proposed rule simply requires new cooktops to be more efficient. This will reduce energy bills for consumers and cut harmful indoor air pollution that disproportionately impacts children’s health.

We are likely to hear a lot of scare tactics about this rule today. And despite what you will hear from my Republican colleagues; it does not ban gas stoves; it does not remove gas stoves from homes; and it does not prevent you from putting a gas stove in your home. In fact, fifty percent of the stoves on the market today are already in compliance with the proposed standard – which will not take effect until three years after it’s finalized.

Republicans claim to care about energy prices, but this bill prohibits DOE from finalizing a rule that could save consumers up to $1.7 billion. DOE is only trying to make stoves more efficient and lower energy bills for Americans, but Republicans are moving a bill today that will increase energy prices for consumers. Rather than focusing on the facts, Republicans are misleading Americans in order to keep their fossil fuel friends happy. I urge my colleagues to oppose this political stunt." 

Should Congress pass H.R.1640, the Save Our Gas Stoves Act?