Rules Committee · Feb 24, 2026
H.Amdt. 167: Its purpose is not yet published.
Adopted
With no one objecting, no names recorded
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 217–190
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The Home Appliance Protection and Affordability Act aims to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It seeks to restrict the Secretary of Energy from prescribing new or amended energy conservation standards unless they are technologically feasible and economically justified. The bill introduces stricter requirements for economic impact analysis, including looking at costs to low-income households and rural populations. It also establishes specific thresholds for energy and water savings that must be met. Additionally, the act provides for the potential revocation of existing standards and prohibits new standards for distribution transformers.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill mandates that economic analyses consider the specific costs of energy standards on low-income households.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill increases consumer protection by requiring energy standards to be economically justified and preventing unnecessary cost increases.
- Scored +4
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill requires consideration of the specific cost variations and impacts on rural populations.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
By restricting new energy conservation standards, the bill may slow the rate of carbon emission reductions.
- Scored -3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill limits the authority of the Secretary of Energy to set federal energy standards.
- Scored -2
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill limits the Secretary's ability to mandate more stringent environmental standards for appliances.
What Congress actually voted on
2 recorded votes have been taken on this bill. One of them decided something; the rest moved it along.
- The House: the vote on whether to pass the bill This is the real decision in this chamber. Passing here sends the bill to the other chamber, which must pass it too before it can go to the President. Passed 217 yes · 190 no
02/24/2026 · Roll call 76 · recorded as “On Passage”
- The House: a last attempt to send the bill back to committee The minority party's final chance to change or stall a bill just before the vote on passage. It almost always fails; when it succeeds, the bill does not get its final vote that day. Motion to recommit rejected 197 yes · 208 no
02/24/2026 · Roll call 75 · recorded as “On Motion to Recommit”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Consumer Interest Prioritization: The Secretary is required to prioritize the interests of consumers when determining if an energy conservation standard is economically justified (Section 2(c)(3)(F)(i)).
-
Economic Protection for Households: The bill requires an economic impact analysis that specifically looks at the effects of standards on costs to low-income households and variations in costs for rural populations (Section 2(c)(3)(A)(i)).
-
Prevention of Increased Costs: A standard cannot be deemed economically justified unless it is unlikely to result in additional net costs to the consumer regarding the purchase, installation, maintenance, disposal, and replacement of the product (Section 2(c)(3)(B)(i)).
-
Guaranteed Savings Value: The bill ensures that the monetary value of energy or water savings during the first three years of use must be greater than any increased costs to the consumer (Section 2(c)(3)(B)(ii)).
-
Product Utility Maintenance: The Secretary is prohibited from prescribing standards that would result in the lessening of a product's utility or performance, such as its life span or operating conditions (Section 2(c)(3)(D)).
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Transparency in Meetings: The bill requires the public disclosure of meetings held by the Secretary with certain entities, such as those with ties to the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party (Section 2(c)(2)(E)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Restriction on Energy Standards for Infrastructure: The bill prohibits the Secretary from prescribing any new or amended energy conservation standards for distribution transformers (Section 3).
-
Potential Loss of Standards: The bill amends the law to allow for the revocation of existing energy conservation standards if certain criteria are met, such as if the standards result in additional costs to consumers (Section 2(b)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill mandates that economic analyses consider the specific costs of energy standards on low-income households. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill requires consideration of the specific cost variations and impacts on rural populations. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill aims to protect middle-class households from unexpected increases in the cost of appliances. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides certainty for manufacturers by requiring standards to be technologically feasible.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill increases consumer protection by requiring energy standards to be economically justified and preventing unnecessary cost increases.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — By restricting new energy conservation standards, the bill may slow the rate of carbon emission reductions. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill limits the Secretary's ability to mandate more stringent environmental standards for appliances.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill increases transparency by requiring the disclosure of meetings between the Secretary and certain entities. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill limits the authority of the Secretary of Energy to set federal energy standards.
- 2/25/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2/24/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 190 (Roll no. 76). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4679-4681)
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 190 (Roll no. 76). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4679-4681)
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 197 - 208 (Roll no. 75). (CR H2285)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2279-2286)
- POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 4626, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Suozzi demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- Mr. Suozzi moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (CR H2285)
- The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 4626.
- Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4626 and H.R. 4758. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4626 and H.R. 4758 under a closed rule with one motion to recommit for each bill. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on each bill.
- Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1075. (consideration: CR H2269-2276)
- Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1075 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4626 and H.R. 4758. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4626 and H.R. 4758 under a closed rule with one motion to recommit for each bill. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate on each bill.
- 1/30/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-470.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 401.
- 12/3/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 22.
- 11/19/2025
- Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 14.
- 7/23/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.