House passes GOP-led gas stove bill
By Clare Foran, CNN
(CNN) — The House is taking up a pair of GOP-led bills that Republicans say would prevent a nationwide ban on gas stoves – a messaging opportunity for Republicans over an issue that has become part of the political culture wars – despite the White House’s insistence that it has no such plans. On Tuesday, the chamber passed the first of the two bills by a vote of 248 to 180.
Republicans have accused the Biden administration of wanting to ban gas stoves despite the fact that the White House said in January that President Joe Biden does not support a gas stove ban. A statement of administration policy expresses opposition to the House bills, but also says “the administration has been clear that it does not support any attempt to ban the use of gas stoves.”
It’s not clear that the GOP gas stove bills could pass the Democratic-led Senate.
Tuesday’s gas stove bill vote was pushed back a week after conservative hardliners blocked floor action last week in retaliation over how House GOP leadership handled a debt limit deal to avert a US default. The conservative members agreed to end the blockade this week while they continue discussions with Speaker Kevin McCarthy about future spending decisions.
The bill passed by the House on Tuesday would bar the Consumer Product Safety Commission from using federal funds to regulate gas stoves as a “banned hazardous product” or “issue or enforce a product safety standard that prohibits the use or sale of gas stoves or substantially increases their price,” according to a summary of the legislation.
Commission Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said in a statement to CNN, “This bill is unnecessary – the CPSC is not banning gas stoves.”
“However, CPSC’s ability to set standards addressing gas stove safety hazards related to tip-overs, gas leaks, and fire hazards could be hampered by the legislation, which would undermine CPSC’s mission to keep Americans safe,” he said.
The other bill up the House is taking up focuses on the Department of Energy. According to a summary of the legislation, DOE “may not prescribe or amend energy conservation standards for kitchen ranges or ovens if they would result in the unavailability of a product on account of the type of fuel the range or oven uses.” The bill also seeks to block DOE from finalizing or implementing a proposed rule that deals with energy conservation standards for consumer cooking products.
A Department of Energy spokesperson said in a statement to CNN, “The Department of Energy is not proposing to ban gas cooking products.”
“Congress and a court consent decree require the Department to conduct an energy efficiency rulemaking on gas and electric cooktops by January 2024,” the spokesperson said, adding, “these proposals are intended for nothing more than increasing energy efficiency and promoting innovation, without sacrificing the reliability and performance that Americans have come to expect.”
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