What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 or the Natural GAS Act of 2025 This bill limits what the Department of Energy (DOE) may include in future energy conservation rules related to water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens. Energy conservation rules establish standards that set minimum energy efficiency levels or maximum energy usage for certain consumer products, such as appliances. Specifically, the bill requires DOE to certify that the rules are not likely to result in a significant shift from gas appliances to electric appliances. As part of the rulemaking process, DOE must require a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards. In addition to measuring energy use at the site where the appliance is operated, a full fuel cycle analysis estimates the energy consumed in the extraction, processing, and transport of primary fuels; energy losses in thermal combustion in power-generation plants; and energy losses in transmission and distribution to homes and commercial buildings. Further, such rules must require energy efficiency labels to disclose the full-fuel-cycle efficiency. Currently, the labels only disclose point-of-use energy consumption, which is based on the amount of energy used at the site where the appliance is operated. In addition, the bill exempts certain small major household appliance manufacturers from future energy conservation rules for such appliances. The bill also prohibits any future energy conservation
Action Timeline
2025-02-13
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
2025-02-13
Introduced in House
2025-02-13
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.1281 pass?
HR.1281 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: 29%.
What does HR.1281 do?
Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 or the Natural GAS Act of 2025 This bill limits what the Department of Energy (DOE) may include in future energy conservation rules related to water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens. Energy conservation rules establish standards that set minimum energy efficiency levels or maximum energy usage for certain consumer products, such as appliances. Specifically, the bill requires DOE to certify that the rules are not likely to result in a significant shift from gas appliances to electric appliances. As part of the rulem…
Who sponsored HR.1281?
HR.1281 was sponsored by Stephanie I. Bice (R-Oklahoma).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 1281 IH: Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-02-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1281 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2025 Mrs. Bice introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify standards for water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 or the Natural GAS Act of 2025 . 2. Rule requirements for water heaters Section 325(e) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6295(e) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (7) Requirements (A) Rulemaking process For any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009; and (ii) certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas water heaters to electric water heaters with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or water heater replacement. (B) Rules Any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)); and (ii) shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the water heater; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale. . 3. Rule requirements for furnaces and boilers Section 325(f) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6295(f) ) is amended— (a) in paragraph (1)(B)— (1) in clause (i), by adding and at the end after the semicolon; (2) in clause (ii), by striking and at the end and inserting a period; and (3) by striking clause (iii); and (b) by adding at the end the following: (5) Requirements (A) Rulemaking process For any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009; and (ii) certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas furnaces or boilers to electric furnaces or boilers with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or furnace or boiler replacement. (B) Rules Any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)); and (ii) shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the water heater; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale. . 4. Rule requirements for cooktops, ranges, and ovens Section 325(h) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6295(h) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (3) Requirements (A) Rulemaking process For any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009; and (ii) certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens to electric kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or cooktop, range, and oven replacement. (B) Rules Any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not limit the features and functionality available on residential gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens, including— (I) quick-to-boil times; (II) the number and size of burners, including burners designed for simmering and high input rate burners; and (III) the design of grates, including continuous grates; (ii) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)); and (iii) shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the kitchen cooktop, range, or oven; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale. .
Loading intelligence layer…