119-hr4626

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4626 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4626

 To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prohibit the 
 Secretary of Energy from prescribing any new or amended energy 
 conservation standard for a product that is not technologically 
 feasible and economically justified, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 23, 2025

 Mr. Allen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prohibit the 
 Secretary of Energy from prescribing any new or amended energy 
 conservation standard for a product that is not technologically 
 feasible and economically justified, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Don't Mess With My Home Appliances 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PRESCRIBING NEW OR AMENDED ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS.

    (a) Amendment of Standards.--

    (1) In general.--

Section 325
            (m) (1) of the Energy Policy and 
 Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295
            (m) (1) ) is amended to read as 
 follows:
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary may, for any product, 
 publish a notice of proposed rulemaking including new proposed 
 standards for such product based on the criteria established 
 under subsection

    (o) and the procedures established under 
 subsection

    (p) .''.

    (2) Amendment of standard.--

Section 325
            (m) (3) of the Energy 
 Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295
            (m) (3) ) is amended 
 to read as follows:
 ``

    (3) Amendment of standard.--Not later than 2 years after 
 a notice is issued under paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary shall 
 publish a final rule amending the standard for the product.''.

    (b) Petition for Amended Standard.--

Section 325

    (n) of the Energy 
Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295

    (n) ) is amended--

    (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``an Amended 
 Standard'' and inserting ``Amendment or Revocation of 
 Standard'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (1) , by inserting ``or revoked'' after 
 ``should be amended'';

    (3) by amending paragraph

    (2) to read as follows:
 ``

    (2) The Secretary shall grant a petition to determine if energy 
conservation standards for a covered product should be amended or 
revoked if the Secretary finds that such petition contains evidence, 
assuming no other evidence were considered, that such standards--
 ``
        (A) result in additional costs to consumers;
 ``
        (B) do not result in significant conservation of energy 
 or water;
 ``
            (C) are not technologically feasible; and
 ``
            (D) result in such covered product not being commercially 
 available in the United States to all consumers.''; and

    (4) in paragraph

    (4) --
        (A) by striking ``New or amended standards.'' and 
 inserting ``New, amended, or revoked standards.'';
        (B) by redesignating subparagraphs
        (A) and
        (B) as 
 clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) , respectively (and by conforming 
 the margins accordingly);
            (C) by striking ``Not later than 3 years'' and 
 inserting the following:
 ``
        (A) Not later than 3 years''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (B) Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 granting a petition to revoke standards, the Secretary 
 shall publish in the Federal Register--
 ``
            (i) a final rule revoking the standards; 
 or
 ``
            (ii) a determination that it is not 
 necessary to revoke the standards.
 ``
            (C) The grant of a petition by the Secretary 
 under this subsection creates no presumption with 
 respect to the Secretary's determination of any of the 
 criteria in a rulemaking under this section.
 ``
            (D) Standards that have been revoked pursuant to 
 subparagraph
        (B) shall be considered to be in effect 
 for purposes of 

section 327.''.
            (c) Criteria.--Paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) of 

section 325

    (o) of the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295

    (o) ) are amended to 
read as follows:
 ``

    (2) Requirements.--
 ``
        (A) Design.--Any new or amended energy 
 conservation standard prescribed by the Secretary under 
 this section for any type (or class) of covered product 
 shall be designed to achieve the maximum improvement in 
 energy efficiency, or, in the case of showerheads, 
 faucets, water closets, or urinals, water efficiency, 
 which the Secretary determines is technologically 
 feasible and economically justified.
 ``
        (B) Test procedures.--The Secretary may not 
 prescribe a new or amended energy conservation standard 
 under this section for a type (or class) of covered 
 product if a test procedure has not been prescribed 
 pursuant to 

section 323 with respect to that type (or 
 class) of product.
 ``
            (C) Significant conservation.--The Secretary may 
 not prescribe a new or amended energy conservation 
 standard under this section for a type (or class) of 
 covered product if the Secretary determines that the 
 establishment and imposition of such energy 
 conservation standard will not result in significant 
 conservation of--
 ``
            (i) energy; or
 ``
            (ii) in the case of showerheads, faucets, 
 water closets, or urinals, water.
 ``
            (D) Technologically feasible and economically 
 justified.--The Secretary may not prescribe a new or 
 amended energy conservation standard under this section 
 for a type (or class) of covered product unless the 
 Secretary determines that the establishment and 
 imposition of such energy conservation standard is 
 technologically feasible and economically justified.
 ``
        (E) Disclosure.--The Secretary may not prescribe 
 a new or amended energy conservation standard under 
 this section for a type (or class) of covered product 
 unless the Secretary, not later than the date on which 
 the standard is prescribed, publicly discloses each 
 meeting held by the Secretary, during the 5-year period 
 preceding such date, with any entity that--
 ``
            (i) has ties to the People's Republic of 
 China or the Chinese Communist Party;
 ``
            (ii) has produced studies regarding, or 
 advocated for, regulations or policy to limit, 
 restrict, or ban the use of any type of energy; 
 and
 ``
            (iii) has applied for or received Federal 
 funds.
 ``

    (3) Factors for determination.--
 ``
        (A) Economic analysis.--Prior to prescribing any 
 new or amended energy conservation standard under this 
 section for any type (or class) of covered product, the 
 Secretary shall conduct a quantitative economic impact 
 analysis of imposition of the energy conservation 
 standard that determines the predicted--
 ``
            (i) effects of imposition of the energy 
 conservation standard on costs and monetary 
 benefits to consumers of the products subject 
 to such energy conservation standard, 
 including--
 ``
            (I) costs to low-income 
 households; and
 ``
            (II) variations in costs to 
 consumers based on differences in 
 regions, including rural populations, 
 cost of living comparisons, and 
 climatic differences;
 ``
            (ii) effects of imposition of the energy 
 conservation standard on employment; and
 ``
            (iii) lifecycle costs for the covered 
 product, including costs associated with the 
 purchase, installation, maintenance, disposal, 
 and replacement of the covered product.
 ``
        (B) Prohibition on additional costs to the 
 consumer.--The Secretary may not determine that 
 imposition of an energy conservation standard is 
 economically justified unless the Secretary, based on 
 an economic analysis under subparagraph
        (A) , determines 
 that--
 ``
            (i) 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; and
 ``
            (ii) the monetary value of the energy 
 savings and, as applicable, water savings, that 
 the consumer will receive as a result of such 
 energy conservation standard during the first 3 
 years after purchasing and installing a covered 
 product complying with such energy conservation 
 standard, as calculated under the applicable 
 test procedure, will be greater than any 
 increased costs to the consumer of the covered 
 product due to imposition of such energy 
 conservation standard, including increased 
 costs associated with the purchase, 
 installation, maintenance, disposal, and 
 replacement of the covered product.
 ``
            (C) Required energy or water savings.--The 
 Secretary may not determine that imposition of an 
 energy conservation standard is economically justified 
 unless the Secretary determines that compliance with 
 such energy conservation standard will result in--
 ``
            (i) a reduction of at least 0.3 quads of 
 site energy over 30 years; or
 ``
            (ii) at least a 10 percent reduction in 
 energy or water use of the covered product.
 ``
            (D) Criteria related to performance.--The 
 Secretary may not determine that imposition of an 
 energy conservation standard is economically justified 
 unless the Secretary determines that imposition of such 
 energy conservation standard will not result in any 
 lessening of the utility or the performance of the 
 applicable covered product, taking into consideration 
 the effects of such energy conservation standard on--
 ``
            (i) the compatibility of the covered 
 product with existing systems;
 ``
            (ii) the life span of the covered 
 product;
 ``
            (iii) the operating conditions of the 
 covered product;
 ``
            (iv) the duty cycle, charging time, and 
 run time of the covered product, as applicable;
 ``
            (v) the maintenance requirements of the 
 covered product; and
 ``
            (vi) the replacement and disposal 
 requirements for the covered product.
 ``
        (E) Criteria related to market competition and 
 price discrimination.--The Secretary may not determine 
 that imposition of an energy conservation standard is 
 economically justified unless the Secretary determines 
 that imposition of the energy conservation standard is 
 not likely to result in--
 ``
            (i) any lessening of market competition; 
 or
 ``
            (ii) price discrimination.
 ``
        (F) Technological innovation.--The Secretary may 
 not determine that imposition of an energy conservation 
 standard is economically justified unless the Secretary 
 determines that imposition of such energy conservation 
 standard is not likely to result in the unavailability 
 in the United States of a type (or class) of products 
 based on what type of fuel the product consumes.
 ``
        (G) Other considerations.--In determining whether 
 imposition of an energy conservation standard is 
 economically justified, the Secretary--
 ``
            (i) shall prioritize the interests of 
 consumers;
 ``
            (ii) may not consider estimates of the 
 social costs or social benefits associated with 
 incremental greenhouse gas emissions; and
 ``
            (iii) shall consider--
 ``
            (I) the economic impact of the 
 standard on the manufacturers and on 
 the consumers of the products subject 
 to such standard;
 ``
            (II) the savings in operating 
 costs, including consumer fuel costs, 
 throughout the estimated average life 
 of the covered product in the type (or 
 class) compared to any increase in the 
 price of, or in the initial charges 
 for, or maintenance expenses of, the 
 covered products which are likely to 
 result from the imposition of the 
 standard;
 ``
            (III) the total projected amount 
 of energy, or as applicable, water, 
 savings likely to result directly from 
 the imposition of the standard;
 ``
            (IV) the need for national energy 
 and water conservation; and
 ``
            (V) other factors the Secretary 
 considers relevant.
 ``
        (H) Regulatory review.--
 ``
            (i) Evaluation.--Not later than 2 years after the 
 issuance of any final rule prescribing a new or amended 
 energy conservation standard under this section for any 
 type (or class) of covered product, the Secretary shall 
 evaluate the rule to determine whether such energy 
 conservation standard is technologically feasible and 
 economically justified and whether the regulatory 
 impact analysis for such rule remains accurate.
 ``
            (ii) Effect.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
 of this part, if the Secretary determines, based on an 
 evaluation under clause
            (i) , that an energy 
 conservation standard is not technologically feasible 
 or economically justified--
 ``
            (I) the Secretary shall publish such 
 determination and such energy conservation 
 standard shall have no force or effect (except 
 that such energy conservation standard shall be 
 considered to be in effect for purposes of 
 

section 327); and
 ``
            (II) the Secretary may publish a final 
 rule amending the energy conservation standard 
 for the type (or class) of covered product to 
 be technologically feasible and economically 
 justified in accordance with this subsection, 
 which amendment shall apply to such a product 
 that is manufactured after the date that is 2 
 years after publication of such final rule.''.
            (d) Conforming Amendments.--

    (1) Regional standards.--

Section 325

    (o)

    (6)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) of the 
 Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
 6295

    (o)

    (6)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) ) is amended by striking ``this paragraph'' 
 and inserting ``this subsection''.

    (2) Procedure for prescribing new or amended standards.--
 

Section 325

    (p)

    (2)
        (A) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 6295

    (p)

    (2)
        (A) ) is amended by striking ``taking into 
 account those factors which the Secretary must consider under 
 subsection

    (o)

    (2) '' and inserting ``as determined in accordance 
 with subsection

    (o) ''.

    (3) Energy conservation standards for high-intensity 
 discharge lamps, distribution transformers, and small electric 
 motors.--

Section 346 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 6317) is amended by striking subsection
            (c) .

SEC. 3. DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS.

 

Section 346 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 
6317) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (g) No New or Revised Standards for Distribution Transformers.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of enactment of 
 this subsection, the Secretary may not prescribe any new or 
 amended energy conservation standard under part B or this part 
 for distribution transformers, including those distribution 
 transformers for which the Secretary prescribed testing 
 requirements under paragraph

    (1) and low-voltage dry-type 
 distribution transformers.
 ``

    (2) Effect on existing standards.--Paragraph

    (1) does not 
 affect any energy conservation standards prescribed under part 
 B or this part before the date of enactment of this 
 subsection.''.
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