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Mar 28, 2023

Congress to vote to save gas stoves, clamp down on Biden's hyper

House lawmakers, troubled by an onslaught of Biden administration regulations

House lawmakers, troubled by an onslaught of Biden administration regulations that are crushing businesses and angering consumers, will vote on legislation that would give Congress the final say over major rules issued by the executive branch.

The planned vote in the Republican-led House follows an aggressive regulatory push by the Biden administration to advance the president's agenda without opposition from Congress or the public.

Dozens of regulations have been implemented and dozens more are under consideration. That includes proposals that would effectively end the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles and force popular home appliances from the market, among them many models of gas stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines.

Another proposed rule would force companies to disclose "climate risk" data to the Securities and Exchange Commission. A separate proposal would weaken oversight of Medicaid by reducing eligibility reviews. The president also issued a unilateral rule canceling $400 billion in student debt.

Congress, using the Congressional Review Act, has voted to overturn a string of Biden administration rules this year related to immigration, environmental regulations and other areas. However, the president has vetoed most of lawmakers’ efforts to block his executive actions.

The House bill up for a vote this week would require congressional approval beforehand for any new regulation that impacts the economy by more than $100 million annually.

"The regulatory regime has gone unchecked for decades and it's time we return power to the American people, not the nameless, faceless bureaucrats in Washington," said Rep. Kat Cammack, Florida Republican.

According to the Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think tank, President Biden has ramped up regulations in an unprecedented fashion.

In 2021, the president unilaterally finalized 69 regulations that have a substantial impact on the economy. The number represents a dramatic increase over the Trump administration, which passed 22 such regulations in his first year in office. Mr. Biden's regulatory regime also exceeds President Obama's 52 economically impactful rules during his first year in office.

Mr. Biden's 2021 regulations with a substantial impact cost $200 billion in new regulatory costs — quadruple the cost of Mr. Obama's year-one major regulations.

Democrats on the House Rules Committee criticized the GOP legislation that would give Congress greater authority over executive branch rule-making.

Rep. Hank Johnson said it would return America to a time when companies could impose 14-hour work days and unsafe working conditions, which were regulated out of existence decades ago.

"This is really an attack on the middle class," the Georgia Democrat said.

Many of the Biden administration regulations, however, are aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels, a key administration goal. Critics say that goal would most affect the poor because energy prices would rise and power would become scarcer.

Most recently, the administration announced rules for power plants to slash nearly all carbon emissions by 2040 or shut down. Critics say that move would increase electricity bills, hurt the stability of the energy grid and lead to rolling blackouts.

A slew of 2022 and 2023 proposals take direct aim at gas-powered vehicles as well as household appliances. House Republicans are looking for ways to block them from being implemented.

"President Biden and the radical left want to use the federal government's power to dictate what kind of car you can drive, how you can heat your home and business, and now how you’re allowed to cook food for your family," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington Republican.

In response to a Biden administration effort to electrify American households and end the use of natural gas appliances, the House this week is scheduled to vote on two bills that would block the government from banning gas stoves or regulating them into extinction.

A bill up for a vote Tuesday takes aim at the Consumer Product Safety Commission that this year requested public input on "chronic hazards associated with gas stoves."

The commission was acting at the request of Commissioner Richard Trumka, who called gas stoves a "hidden hazard" in response to a study assembled by green energy advocates claiming they are to blame for nearly 13% of childhood asthma.

Several studies, including one released last month, found major flaws in the data claiming the stoves cause health problems.

The House legislation would prohibit the commission from using federal funds to regulate gas stoves as a banned hazardous product or issue or enforce a standard that would effectively ban the stoves or substantially increase their price.

"Our bills make it clear that Americans should decide if a gas stove is right for their families, not the federal government," said Rep. Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota Republican.

Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, New Jersey Republican, plans to introduce an amendment that would expand the bill to block the commission from banning any household appliance powered by natural gas.

The House will vote on a related bill Wednesday that would prevent the Department of Energy from implementing proposed new energy efficiency standards for gas stoves. Manufacturers say these standards would eliminate nearly all popular models, double the time it takes to boil water, and would save only 12 cents a month.

"Hardly worth the lack of consumer choice, hardly worth waiting for water to boil for an additional 7 minutes," said sponsor Rep. Debbie Lesko, Arizona Republican.

Both measures are likely to attract some Democratic support. More than two dozen Democrats in March voted on a measure banning the Department of Energy from implementing the gas stove regulations when it was included as an amendment to an energy policy bill.

The Democratic-run Senate is all but certain to refuse a vote on any of the three bills.

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at [email protected].

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