On the recordJuly 9, 2024
I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of the Representative from Iowa's bill, H.R. 7637. The Refrigerator Freedom Act will protect American consumers from unaffordable and unrealistic standards from the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy efficiency standards for home appliances have long reached the point of overregulation and now cause more harm than good for consumers. According to testimony before the Energy and Commerce Committee, most major home appliances have been subjected to four, five, or even six rounds of successively tighter DOE efficiency standards over the decades. We have long reached the point of diminishing our negative returns for consumers, yet DOE continues to wage a war against the American consumer. Instead of doubling down on failing climate policy pursuits, we should reexamine the existing standards that are not in the best interest of consumers with little to no so-called climate benefits. The Refrigerator Freedom Act will stop DOE from prescribing or enforcing these arbitrary standards that are not helping consumers at all, and worse, increasing costs without added benefits. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill on behalf of the American consumer and true efficiency.
