On the recordMarch 29, 2023
Let me reiterate what has been said before. Neither the Biden administration nor the Department of Energy is trying to ban gas stoves. No one is coming into your home to remove that stove. I implore my colleagues across the aisle to stop lying to the American people about this. Apparently, Republicans think that standards to make something better, to make it more efficient, is a ban. Regardless, this amendment makes no sense. This amendment calls for a study on how banning natural gas appliances will affect rates and charges for electricity. As I said, no one is actually talking about a ban, but the funny thing is we already know that electrification does result in lowering energy bills. Electric appliances like heat pumps save households money because they are more efficient than gas appliances. Especially as we see fuel prices rise, electrification becomes even more critical, more important. Republicans see the tide turning against their friends in the oil and gas industry, so how do they respond? With a big energy package and a bunch of amendments that attempt to lock Americans into a dirty, expensive fossil fuel choice. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
