House members offer new bill easing rules for energy-saving appliances

A bipartisan group of House members has reintroduced legislation aimed at easing federal regulations for manufacturers of home appliances.

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and seven other members proposed the American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act, H.R. 6582. Among other things, the bill would ease federal rules that require manufacturers of walk-in coolers to use specific technologies even though more energy-efficient technologies exist.

Aderholt's original bill, H.R. 4850, was passed by the House in April, but the Senate approved an amended version in June. That Senate bill included additional language from both the House and Senate that would ease other rules related to water heaters, commercial refrigerators and air conditioners.

Aderholt's new bill includes that language and seems to indicate that the House will be in a position to approve the Senate-passed bill as early as the post-election session in November or December.

Aderholt's bill has the support of members of both parties: Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.), Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.).

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