LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY ACT

On 2024-12-10, Representative Andrew Ogles (R-TN-5) delivered a floor speech titled "LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY ACT" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered the economy, climate policy. It referenced legislation including HR7673, HRES1612.

LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 183 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)] [House] [Pages H6558-H6562] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY ACT Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1612, I call up the bill (H.R. 7673) to prohibit the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or enforcing energy conservation standards for clothes washers that are not cost-effective or technologically feasible, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Molinaro). Pursuant to House Resolution 1612, the bill is considered read. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7673 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Liberty in Laundry Act''. SEC. 2. PRESCRIBING AND ENFORCING ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR CLOTHES WASHERS. (a) Technologically Feasible and Economically Justified.-- Notwithstanding subsections (m), (n), and (o) of section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy may not-- (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy conservation standard for a covered product that is a clothes washer under such section unless the Secretary of Energy determines that the prescription and imposition of such energy conservation standard is technologically feasible and economically justified; or (2) enforce an energy conservation standard prescribed under such section for a covered product that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy determines that enforcement of or compliance with such energy conservation standard is not technologically feasible or economically justified. (b) Prohibition on Increased Costs to Consumers.-- Notwithstanding subsections (m), (n), and (o) of section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy may not-- (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy conservation standard for a covered product that is a clothes washer under such section unless the Secretary of Energy determines that the prescription and imposition of such energy conservation standard is not likely to result in additional net costs to the consumer, including any increase in net costs associated with the purchase, installation, maintenance, disposal, and replacement of the covered product; or (2) enforce an energy conservation standard prescribed under such section for a covered product that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy determines that enforcement of or compliance with such energy conservation standard is likely to result in additional net costs to the consumer, including any increase in net costs associated with the purchase, installation, maintenance, disposal, and replacement of the covered product. (c) Significant Energy Savings Requirement.-- Notwithstanding subsections (m), (n), and (o) of section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy may not-- (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy conservation standard for a covered product that is a clothes washer under such section if the Secretary of Energy determines that the prescription and imposition of such energy conservation standard will not result in significant conservation of energy; or (2) enforce an energy conservation standard prescribed under such section for a covered product that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy determines that enforcement of or compliance with such energy conservation standard will not result in significant conservation of energy. (d) Covered Product; Energy Conservation Standard.--In this section, the terms ``covered product'' and ``energy conservation standard'' have the meanings given such terms in section 321 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291). The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and [[Page H6559]] ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees. The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan). General Leave Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 7673. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina? There was no objection. Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act, and I thank Congressman Ogles for leading on this issue. Throughout the 118th Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee has been on the front lines for defending the needs of everyday Americans against the radical climate agenda of the Biden administration. This administration has prioritized expensive and unreliable energy policies that have diminished the quality of life for our friends and neighbors across the country. These harmful policies have sought to direct the energy we use and even the appliances we buy. We stood on this floor and we talked about gas stoves, dishwashers, and HVACs. In Congress, we talked about the push to electrification and the mandates from the U.S. Government to Americans to tell them what kind of cars they have to drive--not what they want to drive, but cars they have to drive. Today, we are addressing the assault on clothes washers. This bill protects the affordability and quality and choice for Americans to decide for themselves what suits their needs best. Thanks to radical climate policies, Americans will spend 34 percent more on appliances today than they did just a decade ago. These appliances are not only more expensive, they offer a lesser quality with fewer features Americans rely on and shorter lifespans. This legislation will prevent the DOE from enforcing standards for clothes washers unless they are technologically feasible and economically justified, are not likely to result in additional cost to the consumer, and will result in significant conservation of energy. The American people have spoken. They cannot afford and they don't want more of the same. They have overwhelmingly rejected the Democratic Party and their pandering to the radical climate lobby. Everyday Americans are tired of record inflation, high-energy costs, and just the struggle they have every day to make ends meet. {time} 1430 This legislation addresses kitchen-table issues for Americans and their families. The out-of-touch policies of the Biden administration are why the American people decided to elect President Donald J. Trump to a second term. In the 119th Congress, House Republicans will continue to fight for hardworking Americans and unleash our energy to lower costs and improve the quality of life for those across the country. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act. I thank Representative Ogles for leading this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are quickly approaching the final days of this Congress, and after spending a year on the campaign trail promising to lower prices for working families, today House Republicans are bringing up a bill that will raise energy bills for those very same families. H.R. 7673 guts popular energy efficiency standards for laundry machines, standards that save Americans money on their utility bills and reduce dangerous greenhouse gas pollution at the same time. These efficiency standards create certainty for manufacturers, and they protect consumers from rising costs. In the case of these laundry machine standards, they also reduce water use, a benefit that could greatly aid drought-prone regions around the Nation. What is more, Mr. Speaker, the Biden administration's energy efficiency actions are projected to save Americans $1 trillion and reduce greenhouse gas pollution by more than 2.5 billion metric tons over the next 30 years. The laundry machine standard that this bill guts is on track to save Americans $18 billion on their utility bills over the next 30 years, as well. However, today's Republican Party is unpersuaded by things like facts and cost savings. With this bill, Republicans are proving that their vow to lower costs was nothing more than an empty campaign promise. This legislation actively works to raise Americans' energy bills, all so they can curry favor with their special interest friends and do the bidding of their fossil fuel industry friends. Absolutely no one else stands to benefit from this legislation, proving once and for all that Republicans only pay lip service to lowering costs when it is campaign season. That is why this bill conveniently ignores the efficiency standards- setting process that already exists at the Department of Energy, which already requires that these standards result in significant savings, be technologically feasible, and economically justifiable. In fact, DOE's process works so well that the laundry machine standard targeted by this bill was actually the result of a consensus agreement between the appliance industry, efficiency advocates, and consumer advocates. They actually embrace reality. The reality is that laundry machine standards haven't been updated in more than a decade, many models that meet the new standard already exist, and appliance manufacturers have said they do not feel burdened by it at all. All this begs the question--why are Republicans trying to undermine a process that brings everyone to the table to lower

Referenced legislation: HRES1612, HRES1612, HR7673