Contact: Ben Somberg, 202-658-8129, bsomberg@aceee.org
Washington, DC—The Appliance Standards Awareness Project issued the following statement from Andrew deLaski, its executive director, in response to the U.S. House of Representatives passing H.R. 7637 (“Refrigerator Freedom Act”) and H.R. 7700 (“Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act”):
“For decades, our laws have required that appliance efficiency standards save consumers money. These bills would set a new requirement that would block refrigerator and dishwasher standards if they initially cost consumers even one penny, no matter how much money they’d save for years and years.
“The Biden administration’s standards for refrigerators and dishwashers are set to save people money. Undoing them would raise families’ costs.
“These bills could be a real threat to consumers in a future Congress and administration. Rolling out the welcome mat for low-quality products that are expensive to run would be a big mistake.”
More information on the two bills and the efficiency standards at issue is available in an ASAP fact sheet.
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The Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) advocates for appliance, equipment, and lighting standards that cut planet-warming emissions and other air pollution, save water, and reduce economic and environmental burdens for low- and moderate-income households. ASAP’s steering committee includes representatives from environmental and efficiency nonprofits, consumer groups, the utility sector, and state government.