[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 49 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E567-E568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOE KNOLLENBERG

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 4, 2001

  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer two resolutions under 
the Congressional Review Act to rescind two egregious regulations 
promulgated by the previous administration that affect consumers 
nationwide.
  On October 5, 2000, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued proposed 
regulations on the energy efficiency of clothes washers, air 
conditioners and heat pumps. Myself, and many of my House colleagues 
strongly oppose these new mandates.
  At the end of the 106th Congress, I introduced H.R. 5613 along with 
31 co-sponsors to extend the insufficient 60-day public comment period 
on these rulemakings. The former Clinton Administration, in its rush to 
issue a flurry of midnight regulations, overlooked both Congressional 
and public displeasure with these mandates and issued the final rule in 
the Federal Register in January.
  I am particularly troubled by the proposed rules as they pertain to 
household clothes

[[Page E568]]

washers. Nearly 81 million American households have washers and roughly 
10 million new units are shipped every year. The impact of this new 
rule would effectively double the price of purchasing a new washer and 
eliminate consumer choice through a defacto mandate of side-loading 
washers. Many have argued that the proposed standards for clothes 
washers could be met with conventional top-loading designs, but the 
reality is that a side-loading washer design is the only means of 
achieving these efficiency standards.
  The cost increases associated with these pending regulations are 
extravagant. DOE estimates the cost to average consumers to be: $240 
more for clothes washers, $274 more for residential central air 
conditioners, and $486 more for residential heat pumps. In fact, these 
products are available now and people do not buy them. Side-loading 
washers make up less than 12% of the washers sold in the U.S. today.
  Also, the new washing machines required by this regulation will 
require an additional ten minutes in run time per wash. Moreover, these 
machines will require a special brand of soap manufactured specially 
for these washers. In addition, fears exist that these appliances will 
require more expensive servicing.
  I am especially concerned that consumers have not been made aware of 
these mandates, and believe a 60-day comment period was insufficient to 
receive proper input. The poor, the elderly and those on fixed incomes 
cannot afford such a drastic change in price for the purpose of 
cleaning our clothes. The American public is not aware that this 
misguided regulation is being foisted upon them. We should trust the 
American people to make their own choices and have control over their 
own lives.
  Accordingly, I am introducing Congressional Review Act (CRA) 
resolutions to rescind these misguided regulations. The American 
consumers deserve no less.

                          ____________________