[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S2505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              H.J. Res. 20

  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I rise today to call up my resolution to 
undo a regulation about appliances, which was imposed by the Biden-
Harris administration weeks after American voters had overwhelmingly 
rejected that administration and its policies and which, if left in 
place, would increase costs and limit the options of everyday Texans 
and everyday Americans across our Nation.
  After the election, President Trump and the new Republican Congress 
systemically moved in exactly the opposite direction to decrease costs 
and to expand the options of Americans.
  Indeed, on January 20, in his Executive order on American energy, 
President Trump made it the policy of the United States ``to safeguard 
the American people's freedom to choose from a variety of goods and 
appliances, including, but not limited to, lightbulbs, dishwashers, 
washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads, 
and to promote market competition and innovation within the 
manufacturing and appliance industries.''
  What refreshing common sense that was missing from the previous 
administration.
  My resolution deals with a rule imposed by the Biden-Harris 
Department of Energy in December, after the election, and which deals 
with what they describe as the energy efficiency of non-condensing 
tankless gas water heaters, which millions of Americans rely upon in 
their homes.
  The Biden-Harris administration knew that they were increasing costs 
on Americans. Indeed, that is what they were deliberately doing. They 
acknowledge that because of their rule, the cost of each affected unit 
would increase by at least $200--and industry experts say the true 
increase is double even that estimate. The administration's own numbers 
show that as many as 40 percent of affected customers would experience 
a net cost increase over the appliance's lifetime.
  They didn't care, and it is worth discussing some of the reasons they 
didn't care about the hardship they were inflicting on hard-working 
American families and why it is so important today for the Senate to 
pass my resolution to undo their actions.
  First and foremost, hypocrisy. The Biden administration believes in 
rules for others but not for themselves and conveniences for themselves 
but not for others. This was an administration that believed in 
shutting down businesses and banning events all across the United 
States because of COVID but exempting themselves and what they cared 
about. If you were at an antifa riot, the COVID virus could not affect 
you, but God help you if you wanted to go to church, clearly, everyone 
in the congregation was going to die of COVID that day.
  The American people saw that hypocrisy play out again and again, 
including with appliance regulations such as gas stoves, and, indeed, 
the hypocrisy played out again with the water heater regulation that my 
resolution will overturn. Left in place, this regulation would force 
American consumers to either pay more for these heaters or, if they 
can't afford to pay more, to shift to less efficient models.
  Democrats used to pitch themselves as the party of the working class, 
as a blue-collar party. No more. Today's Democratic Party is the party 
of rich coastal elites, and the blue-collar working men and women, Mr. 
President, that elected you, that elected me--blue-collar workers are 
now the base of the Republican Party.
  Second, corruption. The administration used regulations, mandates, 
and grants to enrich their allies, including especially radical climate 
activists. Just to give you an example in one of these infamous ``gold 
bar schemes,'' Biden's EPA funneled $2 billion--that is billion with a 
``b''--into Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams' 
``Power Forward Communities.'' They said the money was going toward 
purchasing new home appliances for low-income families to help ``the 
decarbonization of homes.'' But that funding was only available to 
families who worked with Power Forward Communities after the grant was 
issued.
  Biden's very generous, taxpayer-funded gift went to Stacey Abrams' 
coalition in a brazen attempt to buy Georgians' votes.
  And, third, power. For advocates of these regulations, limiting 
consumer choice is the point. It is a feature, not a bug. Their goal is 
to control the choices and freedoms of Americans.
  I believe it should be you, the consumer, that makes those choices, 
not unelected bureaucrats in Washington.
  Last year, I spoke on this floor about a different Department of 
Energy appliance regulation. That regulation was about gas furnaces. It 
would have required over half of American households to purchase new 
furnaces, which they also didn't care about. Their goal was to target 
the natural gas industry.
  Today's vote is about protecting such fundamental issues as fairness, 
consumer choice, and affordability. I strongly urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to vote yes, especially if you care about blue-
collar workers, if you care about families struggling to make ends 
meet. Vote yes and vote to end this government mandate driving up the 
costs on Americans across this country.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previously 
scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.