NAHB Commends House Vote to Block Bans on Certain Gas Water Heaters

Regulations
Published

An NAHB-supported congressional resolution that overturns the Biden administration’s recent attempt to ban certain natural gas water heaters was approved by the House on Thursday.

H.J. Res. 20, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval regarding the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Final Rule establishing Standards for Gas-Fired Instantaneous Water Heaters, rescinds the Biden administration’s rule that sought to ban non-condensing, natural-gas-fired water heaters by 2029.

NAHB applauds the passage of H.J. Res 20 because the DOE’s push for a shift to more expensive condensing gas water heaters under the previous administration would raise housing costs and present substantial hurdles for remodeling and replacement projects, especially in older homes. Furthermore, NAHB believes the rule’s impact on the water heater market could set a dangerous precedent for further restrictions on natural gas appliances, ultimately making it harder for home owners to maintain affordable living standards.

A companion resolution introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is pending in the Senate, and NAHB will work with senators to advance this resolution in the Senate.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Jul 18, 2025

Single-Family Starts Weaken in June as Affordability Challenges Persist

Due to a solid increase in multifamily production, overall housing starts increased 4.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.32 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Safety

Jul 17, 2025

Stay on Top of Wood Framing Safety Policies

Wood framing is an integral part of the home building process, and one job that many general contractors take on themselves. But even with familiarity of the task, specific safety precautions should be followed during framing.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 18, 2025

Single-Family Starts Weaken in June as Affordability Challenges Persist

Single-family housing starts declined in June to the lowest rate since July 2024 as elevated interest rates, rising inventories and ongoing supply-side issues continue to act as headwinds for the housing sector.

Economics

Jul 17, 2025

Builder Confidence Edges Up in July

Builder confidence for future sales expectations received a slight boost in July with the extension of the 2017 tax cuts, but elevated interest rates and economic and policy uncertainty continue to act as headwinds for the housing sector.

Economics

Jul 16, 2025

Producer Prices for Metals and Equipment Show Large Increases

Residential building material prices rose in June, driven primarily by higher construction machinery and equipment part prices. Metal commodities also experienced significant increases, following recently implemented tariffs on steel and aluminum. Meanwhile, price growth for services used in construction continues to outpace both domestic and imported goods.