House Passes ‘Liberty in Laundry Act’ as Lawmakers Push Back on Washer

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Six Democrats joined all 209 Republicans in voting for the measure.

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Dec. 10 to prohibit the secretary of energy and the Department of Energy (DOE) from issuing certain standards surrounding clothes washers.

The Liberty in Laundry Act, introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), passed 215–200.

Six Democrats—Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Don Davis (D-N.C.), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.)—joined all 209 Republicans in voting for the measure.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate, would prohibit the DOE from implementing energy conservation standards for clothes washers if they are “not technologically feasible or economically justified.”

Additionally, the legislation prohibits the DOE from enacting conservation standards for clothes washers unless the department’s secretary deems that these standards will likely not “result in additional net costs to the consumer, including any increase in net costs associated with the purchase, installation, maintenance, disposal, and replacement of the covered product.”

Moreover, the department would not be allowed to mandate a significant energy savings requirement for clothes washers if the standards would not result in savings.

Ahead of the vote, other Democrats criticized the bill.

“I mean, ‘Liberty in Laundry.’ Are you kidding me, Mr. Speaker? You can’t make this stuff up. Who came up with the title—ChatGPT? I mean, what’s next, changing the national motto to ‘Lint Free or Die?’” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said on the House floor.

Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) claimed on the House floor ahead of the vote that the bill would “raise costs on American families.”

However, Republicans expressed support for the legislation.

“There is NO room for the Harris-Biden administration’s Green New Scam in Americans’ homes,” posted House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on X, adding that the bill would put “an end to the Democrats’ push for costly and unnecessary home appliance regulations.”

Rep. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) said on X: “The Biden Administration’s continued war on American energy has made its way into Americans’ homes. The Liberty in Laundry Act will protect consumer choice, ensure Americans can purchase affordable, reliable washing machines, and stop Biden’s rush-to-green agenda.”