House Panel Passes NAHB-Supported Transformer Bill
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security has approved NAHB-supported legislation that will help ease the shortage of distribution transformers.
H.R. 4167, the Protecting America’s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act, would ensure certainty for transformer manufacturers as they seek to repair and strengthen a broken distribution transformer supply chain that has delayed home construction projects across the country and aggravated the nation’s housing affordability crisis.
Specifically, the legislation would repeal the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) authority to propose, finalize, implement, administer, or enforce any energy efficiency standard for distribution transformers for the next five years.
The DOE has proposed to increase the energy conservation standards for the production of transformers, an action that NAHB strongly opposes because it will exacerbate an already acute supply-chain shortage.
This was one of the key issues during this year’s NAHB Legislative Conference in June when more than 700 NAHB members discussed vital matters of concern to the housing industry with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
A companion bill is pending in the Senate.
NAHB continues to work with both chambers of Congress to seek additional funding aimed solely at boosting production of distribution transformers to meet market demand.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 17, 2025
How Diverse Is the Construction Workforce?Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. The most notable trend has been the steady rise of Hispanic participation, according to the American Community Survey.
Oct 16, 2025
Are Today’s Building Codes Enough to Improve Home Resilience?In the face of rapidly increasing losses from natural disasters, many housing advocates are pushing for more stringent building codes to make homes more resilient to disaster. But is that the best path forward?
Latest Economic News
Oct 17, 2025
Better Growth, Larger Deficits: CBO Fiscal OutlookThe Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a key nonpartisan score keeper that measures the effects of policy changes by the Federal Government. With several policy changes since January of this year, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), stricter immigration, and higher tariffs, the CBO updated its economic projections through 2028.
Oct 16, 2025
Amid Market Challenges, Builder Expectations Rise in OctoberEven as builders continue to grapple with market and macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment levels posted a solid gain in October as future sales expectations surpassed the 50-point breakeven mark for the first time since last January.
Oct 15, 2025
Builders Stay Cautious as Single-Family Permits WeakenIn August, single-family permit activity softened, reflecting caution among developers amid persistent economic headwinds. This trend has been consistent for eight continuous months.