HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM ACT

On 2026-02-25, Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) delivered a floor speech titled "HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM ACT" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered the economy, taxes. It referenced legislation including HR4758, HRES1075.

HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2301-H2306] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM ACT Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1075, I call up the bill (H.R. 4758) to repeal provisions of Public Law 117-169 relating to taxpayer subsidies for home electrification, 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. Williams of Texas). Pursuant to House Resolution 1075, the bill is considered read. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4758 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 ``Homeowner Energy Freedom Act''. SEC. 2. HOMEOWNER ENERGY FREEDOM. (a) In General.--The following are repealed: (1) Section 50122 of Public Law 117-169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a) (relating to a high-efficiency electric home rebate program). (2) Section 50123 of Public Law 117-169 (42 U.S.C. 18795b) (relating to State-based home energy efficiency contractor training grants). (3) Section 50131 of Public Law 117-169 (136 Stat. 2041) (relating to assistance for latest and zero building energy code adoption). (b) Rescissions.--The unobligated balances of any amounts made available under each of sections 50122 and 50131 of Public Law 117-169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a; 136 Stat. 2041) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act) are rescinded. (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 50121(c)(7) of Public Law 117-169 (42 U.S.C. 18795(c)(7)) is amended by striking ``, including a rebate provided under a high-efficiency electric home rebate program (as defined in section 50122(d)),''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. General Leave Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4758. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? There was no objection. Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4758, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Texas' 12th Congressional District. The Homeowner Energy Freedom Act repeals disastrous policies from the Inflation Reduction Act that were used to subsidize expensive mandates and implement backdoor fossil fuel bans. Today, in the United States, the dream of home ownership is out of reach for far too many Americans. In fact, 75 percent of households today cannot afford a medium-priced home. {time} 0920 Mr. Speaker, provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act to force States to implement green energy building codes only serve to make matters worse. It is estimated that building codes associated with the HOMES rebate program raises the cost of a single-family home by $31,000. These building codes effectively prevent the use of natural gas and require expensive equipment to accommodate EV chargers and other intermittent energy sources. It is important to remember that upwards of 60 percent of homes utilize natural gas appliances and that the number rises to more than 75 percent in colder climate States. These aren't just talking points. They are real-world impacts. Take Kansas City, for example. After adopting the latest IECC building codes, the city saw a 22 percent decrease in construction permits, while the surrounding communities saw a 117 percent increase. The data is clear. The cost of a new home goes up when Democrats get their green mandates in place. If the Biden administration's so-called energy efficiency regulatory agenda was cost effective for the American people, why did they also have to have a billion dollar slush fund to pay for it? Instead of a one-size-fits-all mandate from Washington, House Republicans are focused on limiting the authority of the Federal Government, making it easier to build affordable homes and taking advantage of abundant natural gas reserves beneath our Nation. Importantly, H.R. 4758 builds on the important work of the Working Families Tax Cut law by officially putting an end to these egregious authorities so future abuses cannot occur. By passing this legislation, House Republicans are continuing to address the affordability for hardworking American households and responsibly protecting finite taxpayer resources. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support 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, House Republicans simply cannot help themselves. It is bad enough that they refuse to do anything to address the affordability crisis that American families are facing today. Republicans are doubling down on bills that will drive up energy costs for families when they are simply being stretched too thin. Yesterday, we were here on the House floor debating a bill that guts appliance efficiency standards which save families money on their power bills. Today, we are back to debate the gutting of another popular program that lowers upfront appliance prices. Mr. Speaker, this is the seventh bill about appliances that we have debated on the House floor this past year. When I am back home in New Jersey talking to my constituents, no one ever brings up showerhead flow or how much water their dishwasher uses. These folks want to know how we can put a stop to Trump's disastrous tariffs which are a tax on the American people and which raise the price of absolutely everything we buy. They want to know what Congress is doing to lower their skyrocketing healthcare premiums. They want to know why Congress is asleep at the wheel, while they struggle to make ends meet, watch their power bills go up every month, and have to start making impossible choices between paying for medicine or keeping their lights on. Sorry, folks, apparently Republicans in Washington don't have time for any of that. They are focused on passing another appliance bill instead--talk about out of touch. This bill repeals and rescinds funding for three important Department of Energy programs. First, it rescinds funding from the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate program. This is a $4.5 billion [[Page H2302]] program created by Democrats as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to lower the upfront costs of appliance upgrades for low- and moderate- income families. The families get a rebate. It helps families better afford appliances for their homes. With this bill, House Republicans are eliminating the funding for the rebate. Again, they are driving up costs on American families. The second thing this bill does is to rescind funding from a program designed to help with building energy code adoption. That might sound a little obscure, but it is also important from a cost point of view. Third, they repeal a program that provides assistance for contractor training. Even these two programs that might seem less important than the rebate are still programs that reduce costs for consumers. Mr. Speaker, I cannot stress it enough. This bill only worsens the affordability crisis for American families. Trump promised to cut Americans' power bills in half during his first year. That didn't happen. In fact, electricity prices are up 15 percent and increasing twice as fast as inflation just since Trump took office. More than 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills. Even though these price increases are a direct result of Republican policies, today House Republicans are choosing to double down. Rather than working on constructive solutions that help Americans, they are choosing to cut funding that helps homeowners and businesses save money. There is a reason why electrification rebates are popular. Again, these are rebates that help people. Some States have already rolled out their rebate programs and are seeing significant interest. Despite how Republicans try to frame them, rebates are not mandates. Rebates are optional, and they provide discounts to families who have crunched the numbers and made the decision that electrification would help them save money. Republicans want to take away that choice at a time of skyrocketing energy costs and energy demand. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this bill. The programs that this bill targets are designed to lower costs, create jobs, and help Americans across the country. I only wish that Republicans cared more about that than wasting floor time with ridiculous antiefficiency and anticonsumer bills. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Goldman), the sponsor of the bill. Mr. GOLDMAN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is facing a housing affordability crisis. When I was growing up, the median age of a first-time home buyer was 29 years old. Today, it is 40 years old. Since then, the median home price has increased by more than 400 percent. As a result, nearly 75 percent of U.S. households cannot afford the typical price tag of a new home. Homes are simply too expensive for many Americans, and burdensome Federal Government regulations are a major driver of these rising costs. The Biden administration mandated mountains of red tape, dictating what Americans have t

Referenced legislation: HRES1075, HRES1075, HR4758