NAHB-Supported Gas Stove Bills Back on the Front Burner

This post has been updated.

After delaying action last week, the House today approved an NAHB-supported gas stove bill and is expected to pass a companion measure tomorrow.

Lawmakers approved H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act — legislation that would protect consumer access to gas stoves by preventing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from advancing regulations on existing or new gas stoves that would ban their use or substantially increase the price of the average gas stove.

A second bill under consideration — H.R. 1640, the Save our Gas Stoves Act — was approved on June 14. This bill would prevent the Department of Energy (DOE) from promulgating a rule that would limit the use of residential gas cooktops. DOE’s current proposed rule, Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products, would ban the sale of most current gas cooktop models sold in the United States.

In a letter sent to Congress in support of both bills, NAHB said we are “committed to defending consumer access to gas stoves and ensuring that Americans have the option of using natural gas to fuel their homes.”

The letter concluded by urging the passage of both bills “to prevent federal agencies from using the rulemaking process to implement a de facto ban on residential gas stoves.”