Press Releases

The leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin, and Chellie Pingree, released the following statement in response to the passage of the Republican-led resolutions to rescind the Department of Energy’s (DOE) energy efficiency standards for tankless water heaters (H.J.Res. 20) and overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane polluter fee (H.J.Res. 35). 

“This week, House Republicans decided it was good policy to incoherently attack DOE’s noncontroversial efficiency standards for tankless water heaters while blocking EPA’s methane polluter fee. These rollbacks will only raise costs for American taxpayers and consumers. 

“Improving the efficiency and safety of our home appliances ensures that everyday American families save money on their utility bills. Yet, Republicans overturned a widely popular program for water heaters that improved energy efficiency and ultimately would have saved American consumers $3.1 billion. American manufacturers support these efficiency-improving standards. Foreign manufacturers oppose them. So much for putting American businesses first.

“Meanwhile, methane leaks from the oil and gas industry represent a serious health hazard and a significant cost that the industry passes onto American consumers. Yet, House Republicans blocked EPA’s methane polluter fee, which leaves American businesses with no incentive or support to innovate and improve efficiencies in their industry. So much for decreasing American households’ energy costs. 

“For a political party that claims to love efficiency, House Republicans struck down standards that would improve the performance of our household appliances and would ensure that the oil and gas industry innovates to reduce methane leakage. These misguided resolutions are a lose-lose for American consumers and businesses.”