Stop Playing Politics with Americans’ Kitchens
The fight over gas stoves has proven to be a much hotter debate than many would have previously thought. In February of this year, the Biden administration’s Department of Energy issued a proposed rule that would ban most current gas stove models, an outright attack on consumers’ choice. According to the Energy Information Administration, 40 percent of Americans used gas to cook in 2020.
Earlier this month, House Republicans—upset with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s concessions in the debt ceiling negotiations—blocked a vote on the Save Our Gas Stoves Act. Last week, after talks between leadership and Republicans, two bills blocking a federal ban on gas stoves were passed out of the House. The Save Our Gas Stoves Act prohibits the Department of Energy from issuing regulations “that would effectively ban gas stoves.” Rep. Kelly Armstrong’s (R-ND) bill, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, would prevent the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from using federal funds to finalize or enforce a ban on gas stoves.
Natural gas is a critical resource to Americans across the country. From the companies that produce and transport the lifeblood of our economy, to the consumers who use the fuel to heat their homes and cook their food, effectively banning the future use of natural gas would raise costs and increase the strain on our electric grid. The federal government has sought to use its agencies significantly hamper traditional fuels such as natural gas, rather than pass legislation. Last week’s actions in the House illustrates that many legislators across the political spectrum will protect Americans’ right to choose the appliances in their homes.