Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) recently introduced the Hot Showers Act to nullify a proposed Department of Energy (DOE) rule that would significantly limit the availability of water heaters in the country.
The DOE’s rule, proposed in July, would “prescribe energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including consumer water heaters.”
Biden's war on everyday appliances is not over. Now, he's having his bureaucrats come after your water heater.
I introduced the Hot Showers Act to require the Department of Energy to stop its climate tyranny and allow the free market to dictate the price of appliances, not woke…
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) September 21, 2023
Ogles’ bill would specifically require the U.S. Secretary of Energy to “withdraw the proposed rule titled ‘‘Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Water Heaters”,” and be barred from taking “any action to finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule or any substantially similar rule.”
“Joe Biden’s climate crusade has gone too far. He has weaponized the federal rulemaking process to place non-electric technology off the market artificially. When it seemed like prices couldn’t get any higher, this rule continues that trend and bankrupts consumers even more,” Ogles said in a statement. “I will always fight against any ‘Green New Deal’ directive that actively targets consumers and puts America last.”
“Dealing with big government is stressful enough, and a good cure for those woes is a long hot shower. But, like most good things, Joe Biden wants to take that away from you too,” Ogles added.
Ogles’ Hot Showers Act is supported by the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) and Competitive Enterprise Institute.
“Seniors will face significant increases in maintenance costs for water heaters already in operation as they attempt to comply with this rule. This will further stress their cash flow that is already compromised due to Bidenomics,” Bob Carlstrom, President of AMAC Action said in a statement.
Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, added, “DOE’s proposed rule would raise water heater costs while compromising features and performance. This bill would stop the regulators and protect consumers.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Water Heater” by Tony Alter. CC BY 2.0.
The Biden Dept of Energy is literally filled with stupid people. Their rule changes are nonsensical. As a former New Englander, I really like (sarcasm) the electric heat pump requirement. When I lived up there there were state level and federally backed programs to practically give them away. The problem is: they don’t work in the cold. As it gets colder outside they get less effective, until the outdoor temperature reaches a certain level and the heat pump stops producing heat all together. In a climate like that experienced in NE, and other northern areas, that means supplementing with other heat sources. Additional electric space heaters become the go to. Along with the impact on the electric grid, this is financially devastating to the common folk of NE.
For example, when I moved to Nashville one of the first things I noticed on my electric bill is that the total bill was about the same as the “transmission charge” alone in my Massachusetts bill. The cost of electricity is also higher in the northeast.
All of the DOE rules push less efficient, more costly, measures on us – which of course they will initially try to “sweeten” with government incentives (EV tax credits anyone?)
We NEED to get this disastrous administration out of power in 2024 and ensure the likes of them never win an election again. They are literally stupid!