Two House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans announced on March 20 they are introducing legislation to prevent the Biden administration from banning gas stoves.
The legislation was introduced by Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) and Debbie Lesko, (R-Ariz.) in response to the Biden administration’s two-pronged push to ban gas stoves, and might go to the House floor for a vote later this year.
Lesko introduced H.R. 1640, also known as the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, while Armstrong introduced H.R. 1615, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act. Both bills are currently in committee.
The pieces of legislation would prohibit the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from using federal funding to implement any regulation that would classify gas stoves as a prohibited dangerous product under current law.
The bills also prohibit the CPSC from enforcing any consumer product safety standards that would prohibit the use of gas stoves or impose regulations that would raise gas stove prices.
In a press release announcing the legislation, Armstrong emphasized his frustration with the administration’s attempts to ban the stoves.
“Inflation is hurting everyone. We have a crisis at our Southern Border. North Dakotans are worried about being able to provide for their families. What is the Biden administration focused on? Controlling the kind of stove Americans use,” Armstrong said.
“This is further incompetence from an administration that seems more interested in dictating every aspect of our lives than solving real problems. Our bill makes it clear that Americans should decide if a gas stove is right for their families, not the federal government.”
Lesko also spoke to the proposed ban: “The Biden Administration’s extreme proposed regulation that will ban nearly every gas stove on the market is just another example of out-of-touch bureaucrats trying to control Americans’ everyday lives.”
A member of the CPSC stated in January that a ban on gas stoves was possible due to the health concerns they bring to users.
After a public uproar and derision, the CPSC backed down, but soon after, the Department of Energy proposed an energy-efficiency requirement that officials admit is so strict that 96 percent of the gas stoves currently in use would not pass muster.
However, a March 17 report indicated that the CPSC had made a formal request for information about the possible health hazards of gas-powered stoves—another signal that the United States may be moving towards a ban on those appliances under the Biden administration.
Asked for comment, a representative for the CPSC reiterated to The Epoch Times that “The RFI does not constitute or propose any regulatory action or ban. CPSC has been clear that there are no regulatory proceedings planned for gas stoves or range emissions.”
They also pointed to comments from CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric who has stated that the CPSC is not looking to ban gas stoves and has no proceedings to do so.
“As I have said before, this RFI does not constitute or propose any regulatory action or ban,” said Hoehn-Saric. “The chronic hazards that can arise from toxic emissions should be studied and that is what we are doing with this RFI. I welcome the public’s input and data during the comment period.”
The request has already received hundreds of comments. The comment period ends May 8.
The request states that it is seeking input and “proposed solutions” from stakeholders such as “consumers, manufacturers, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and researchers on chronic chemical hazards associated with the use of gas ranges.”
Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash) weighed in on the legislation.
“President Biden and the radical left want to use the federal government’s power to dictate what kind of car you can drive, how you can heat your home and business, and now how you’re allowed to cook food for your family,” she said in the same press release.
“Forcing people to switch to expensive alternatives will only further increase costs on hardworking families and disproportionately harm the most vulnerable communities. Natural gas is a safe, reliable and affordable energy source for millions of Americans.”
Nathan Worcester contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
