WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional republicans are getting heated up this week over gas stoves. The House is set to take up legislation that would prevent banning gas stove appliances. This debate was sparked by a federal commission that questioned if there should be regulations on appliances due to safety concerns.
According to the US Energy Information Administration nearly two in five US homes have gas stovetops and ovens. Last October the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) made headlines after the Commission tossed around the idea of potential rulemaking for gas stoves. Republicans are calling this a type of government overreach.
“He has a war against gas stoves,” said Rep. Debbie Lesko (R- AZ).
The chair of the Commission later responded by saying: “Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so.”
But this week in congress, House republicans are turning up the heat on this.
“Does the Biden administration have more serious problems to deal with than tell American families what kind of stove they should be cooking their food on,” asked Rep. Steve Scalise (R- LA).
The House is set to consider two bills relating to gas stoves: one would limit the conditions under the Department of Energy could establish energy conservation standards for household stoves and ovens. The other would prohibit the use of federal dollars from being used by the CPSC for regulating gas stoves or enforcing rules on gas stoves that would result in a ban.
President Biden said he does not support a federal ban of gas stoves but the administration released a statement saying they strongly oppose the republican proposals because it would undermine science-based consumer product safety commission decision making and block common sense efforts to help Americans cut their energy bills.
New York is the first state to ban natural gas and other fossil fuels in most new buildings. The new law encourages the use of climate-friendly appliances such as heat pumps and induction stoves in most new residential buildings.
