Senate Republicans advanced their efforts to undo strict energy regulations implemented in the final stretch of President Joe Biden’s administration. The Senate approved a measure in a 52-42 vote to overturn a Department of Energy rule that would prohibit certain natural gas water heaters starting in 2029. The resolution will now move to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Every Republican senator supported the repeal. Earlier this year, the House also passed the measure, with Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama leading the charge to reverse the water heater ban. This regulation is the fourth energy-related policy from the Biden administration that Republican lawmakers have moved to repeal since Trump took office, as part of a larger initiative to dismantle Biden-era environmental and energy rules.
“The American people called for a new direction this past November, and the Trump administration and the Republican majorities in Congress have wasted no time getting to work to provide relief from burdensome regulations, especially when it comes to energy,” Sen. John Thune stated on the Senate floor. “Whether it’s through higher utility bills or higher costs at the grocery store or for other goods, it’s the American people who ultimately bear the cost of these rules … It’s why we’re working hard to eliminate these and many other regulatory burdens.”
According to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who led the repeal effort in the Senate, the regulation would have required consumers to spend an additional $450 on replacement water heaters had it not been struck down.
“Democrats are waging a war on household appliances under the guise of combating climate change,” Cruz said when introducing the resolution in January. “This rule, rushed through by the Biden administration in its final days, does more harm than good. It forces American families to choose between costly, high-end models or less efficient alternatives — limiting their options and undermining their freedom of choice.”
Breaking from their party, Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia joined Republicans in voting for the repeal. The American Gas Association (AGA) also applauded the Senate’s decision on Thursday. “This is a victory for working-class Americans and for the environment which benefits from the lower emissions of efficient, direct-use natural gas,” said AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert in a statement.
Republican lawmakers are also considering reversing California’s effective mandate for electric vehicles (EVs), according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Author: Carter Staff Writer
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