Page 11 - jul-aug 2023

legislative news by: Laural Bunn, APGA Executive Director

he first few months of 2023, news headlines
were dominated by negative press about
gas stoves and warnings of gas stove bans.
TSince that time, there has been an increase
in media and campaign advertisements that have
called to defend a citizen’s right to own gas stoves.
Leaders and media outlets have even declared that
the federal government was moving forward with
a ban on gas stoves and warned that the current
administration would follow the lead of some juris-
dictions that have sought to ban new gas hookups Senator Katie Britt, R-Alabama
in order to meet climate goals as part of its "green
climate agenda". the underlying motivation behind this veiled consum-
er safety play is a green climate agenda with the goal
These warnings stemmed from a January of further restricting natural gas. This bill is about
statement made by the Commissioner of the Con- ensuring that Americans have continued access to the
sumer Products and Safety Commission, Richard entire product category of gas stoves…. The commis-
Trumka Jr. In his statement, Trumka indicated that the sion can still do its function, but it has to stay in its
agency would consider a ban to address indoor air lane."
pollution, referring to it as a “hidden hazard.” Then, Alabama's junior Senator, Katie Britt, has
on March 1st, the CPSC released a request for infor- taken the lead on this crusade. On June 23rd, Senator
mation. The request included a call for scientists and Britt's office announced that she had joined several of
others to submit information on the health hazards her colleagues to introduce legislation to prohibit the
associated with gas stoves, including childhood Biden Administration from banning gas stoves. ”There
asthma, and potential solutions to remediate these is perhaps no greater example of government over-
hazards.
reach than the radical attempts to eradicate the use
Finally, after months of media warnings and of gas stoves,” Britt said.
speculation, lawmakers agreed to protect consumers Britt and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, intro-
from this government overreach. On June 13th, Con- duced the “Save Our Gas Stoves Act” with Senators
gress passed the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley
Act, H.R. 1615 (118) with a 248-180 vote. This biparti- Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.),
san legislation would prevent the CPSC from finalizing Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.).
any rule banning gas stoves, from using federal funds “I’m proud to join Senator Sullivan and my colleagues
to finalize or enforce a ban on gas stoves, or from in introducing this commonsense measure to en-
imposing any safety standard that would result in a sure that hardworking American families continue to
prohibition of the appliance or otherwise substantially have access to affordable appliance choices for their
increase their average price. The bill does not prohibit homes,” Britt said.
the CPSC from doing research or developing voluntary
standards with the industry. The White House said it has no plans to ban
the use of gas stoves, a position it reiterated in a
Republican Congressman Kelly Armstrong statement of administration policy in which the Office
from North Dakota introduced and carried this legisla- of Management and Budget opposed the bill, but
tion through the House. While on the floor, Represen- without saying whether the president would veto it.
tative Armstrong said, “We all agree that consumer To read the full text of the Gas Stove Protection and
product and safety is important, yet it is apparent that Freedom Act, H.R. 1615 (118), click here.■

11 Alabama Propane Gas Association | July / August 2023