Teresa Leger Fernandez: “I thank the gentleman and my colleague from Rules (Mr. Austin Scott) for the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself…”

“I thank the gentleman and my colleague from Rules (Mr. Austin Scott) for the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, families all across the United States want Congress to help lower the cost of living, whether it is the single mom working to put enough food on the table for her kids or an elder who tries to stretch their Social Security as much as possible. Millions of Americans also worry about the cost of their utilities. Indeed, utility bills are at the heart of our most basic needs. They are some of the highest costs that working families have to think about each month. H.R. 7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act--yes, I know. Some chuckle just by hearing the title--but the Liberty in Laundry Act betrays Americans' desire for lower costs because it increases utility bills. Energy- efficient washing machines can save the average family up to $285 over the washing machine's lifetime. Republicans would take away these savings with these bills. This isn't the first appliance where Republicans are raising costs. Republicans are making your refrigerators, dishwashers, and stoves even more expensive to operate. With these bills attacking energy efficiency, they are definitely not looking after American working families. Who are they really protecting? With just 6 more days in the congressional calendar this year, we have a laundry list.…”