Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
Latest action · May 8, 2024 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedNov 2, 2023
- Passed HouseMay 7, 2024
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
This bill modifies the process by which the Department of Energy (DOE) amends, revokes, or implements energy conservation standards for certain consumer products (other than automobiles), such as household appliances.
First, the bill eliminates the requirement under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act for DOE, within six years of issuing a final rule establishing or amending such standard, to issue a new proposed rule or publish a notice that the standard does not need to be amended. Instead, the bill allows DOE to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking for prescribing a new or amended energy conservation standard for a consumer product at any time.
Next, the bill specifies that DOE may grant a petition to revoke or amend energy conservation standards if it finds that the standards (1) result in additional costs to consumers, (2) do not result in significant conservation of energy or water, (3) are not technologically feasible, and (4) result in a product (e.g., gas stoves) not being commercially available in the United States to all consumers.
Finally, the bill modifies the criteria used to prescribe new or amended energy conservation standards. For example, new energy conservation standards must be technologically feasible and economically justified.
Recorded votes 3
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
Cosponsors 10
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Nov 17, 2023 to Dec 1, 2023.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-TX | Beth Van Duyne | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-WV | Carol D. Miller | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-IL | Darin LaHood | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-TN | Diana Harshbarger | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-MI | Jack Bergman | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-MO | Mark Alford | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-IL | Mary E. Miller | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-GA | Rick W. Allen | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-TX | Ronny Jackson | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| R-TX | Randy K. Weber, Sr. | Dec 1, 2023 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Nov 2, 2023Markup Dec 5, 2023Reported Mar 26, 2024 May 7, 2024 |
| Energy Subcommittee | Markup Oct 24, 2023 | |
| Senate | Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Referred May 8, 2024 |
Actions 25
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 8, 2024Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- May 7, 2024Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1194. (consideration: CR H2896-2908; text: CR H2902-2903)
- May 7, 2024Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6192, H.R. 7109, H.J. Res. 109 and H.R. 2925. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6192 under a structured rule and H.R. 7109, H.J. Res. 109, and H.R. 2925 under a closed rule. Rule provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 6192, H.R. 7109, and H.J. Res. 109, and thirty minutes of general debate on H.R. 2925. One motion to recommit allowed on each bill.
- May 7, 2024House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1194 and Rule XVIII.
- May 7, 2024The Speaker designated the Honorable James C. Moylan to act as Chairman of the Committee.
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H2989 | Blake D. Moore R-UT | May 8, 2024 |
| House | Debate and remarks H2883–H2891, H2896–H2908Text printed H2883, H2902Amendments H2888, H2900, H2904Motions H2906Recorded votes H2890, H2906, H2907consideration (H. Res. 1194), previous questionFletcher motion to recommitKelly of Pennsylvania amendment (prohibit final Dept. of Energy rule entitled ‘‘Energy Conservation Program—Energy Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers’’ from taking effect) | Cathy McMorris Rodgers R-WA, Debbie Dingell D-MI, Debbie Lesko R-AZ, Deborah K. Ross D-NC, Erin Houchin R-IN, Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ, Hakeem S. Jeffries D-NY, Jeff Duncan R-SC, Jennifer L. McClellan D-VA, Joe Neguse D-CO (amendment), John Joyce R-PA, Judy Chu D-CA, Kathy Castor D-FL, Lizzie Fletcher D-TX (amendment, motion), Mike Kelly R-PA (amendment), Rick W. Allen R-GA, Teresa Leger Fernandez D-NM, Tony Gonzales R-TX (amendment), W. Gregory Steube R-FL (amendment) | May 7, 2024 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Mar 19, 2024H.R. 6192, Hands Off Our Home Appliances ActAs ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on December 5, 2023
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R49321 | Reforming the Energy Policy and Conservation Act: Balancing Costs and Benefits and Curating the Law’s Energy Standards | Report | Aug 26, 2026 |
Amendments 3
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAmdt 902 | An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 118-487 to require any new or amended energy conservation standard to take into consideration rural populations, cost of living comparisons, and climatic differences. | Tony Gonzales R-TX | On agreeing to the Gonzales, Tony amendment (A001) Agreed to by voice vote. |
| HAmdt 903 | An amendment numbered 2 printed in House Report 118-487 to require the Secretary of Energy to disclose stakeholder meetings with entities that have ties to China; produced studies regarding or advocated for policy that limit, restrict, or ban the use of any type of energy; and have applied for or received Federal funds. | W. Gregory Steube R-FL | On agreeing to the Steube amendment (A002) Agreed to by voice vote. |
| HAmdt 904 | An amendment numbered 3 printed in House Report 118-487 to prevent the final rule titled "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers" from taking effect. | Mike Kelly R-PA | On agreeing to the Kelly (PA) amendment (A003) Agreed to by recorded vote: 208 - 199 (Roll no. 182). |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 5
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- 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.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Energy.
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 8, 2024Referred in Senate
- May 7, 2024Engrossed in House
- Mar 26, 2024Reported in House
- Nov 2, 2023Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
