HR 6192 United States House · 118th Congress

Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act

The Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act amends federal energy efficiency standards for home appliances, requiring the Department of Energy to set or update standards only if they are technologically feasible, economically justified (meaning they don’t increase net consumer costs and provide significant energy savings), and maintain product performance. It creates a new petition process allowing stakeholders to request changes to standards if evidence shows they cause excessive costs, fail to save energy, or make products unavailable. The bill also mandates a 2-year review of each new standard to confirm its feasibility and justification, with the option to revise or remove it if criteria aren’t met. These changes directly affect appliance manufacturers, the Department of Energy, and consumers purchasing energy-efficient products.

Issues: ✗ Energy ✗ Environment

Sub-Topics: Energy Efficiency

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2023

Committee Review

May 2024

House Passage

May 2024

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Nov 2, 2023 Last action May 8, 2024

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 5 edits · May 7, 2024

MODERATE

The Engrossed version of HR 6192 adds several substantive provisions not present in the Introduced version: a new disclosure requirement forcing the Secretary to publicly reveal meetings with entities tied to China that advocate energy restrictions, a provision blocking the April 2024 DOE distribution transformer rule from taking effect, and clarifying that revoked or invalidated standards still count as 'in effect' for enforcement purposes under section 327. It also expands the economic analysis factors to include rural populations and cost of living comparisons.

REQUIREMENT

New disclosure requirement: The Secretary may not prescribe any new or amended energy conservation standard unless they publicly disclose every meeting held in the prior 5 years with any entity that (1) has ties to China or the Chinese Communist Party, (2) has produced studies or advocated for policies limiting, restricting, or banning use of any type of energy, and (3) has applied for or received federal funds.

Economic analysis factors expanded: The Secretary must now consider variations in costs to consumers based on differences in regions, including rural populations and cost of living comparisons (previously only climatic differences were listed).

SCOPE

New Section 4 blocks a specific DOE rule: The final rule on Energy Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers (signed April 3, 2024, Docket No. EERE-2019-BT-STD-0018) shall not take effect.

ENFORCEMENT

Standards that are revoked via petition or found not technologically feasible/economically justified during the 2-year regulatory review are still considered 'in effect' for purposes of section 327 (enforcement and compliance provisions).

TECHNICAL

Added '(and by conforming the margins accordingly)' to a redesignation instruction in section 2(b)(4)(B), a clerical clarification.

Floor votes · House May 7, 2024

How they voted

212–195

Passed · 23 other

Total votes 430

May 7, 2024

D Democratic213

7 Yea 195 Nay 11

91% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican216

204 Yea 12

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 8, 2024

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

upper

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 195 (Roll no. 184).

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 195 (Roll no. 184).

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

Mrs. Fletcher moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (text: CR H2906)

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 6192.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1194, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Kelly (PA) amendment No. 3.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1194, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Steube amendment No. 2.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1194, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Tony Gonzales (TX) amendment No. 1.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 6192.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

The Speaker designated the Honorable James C. Moylan to act as Chairman of the Committee.

lower

May 7, 2024

Lower · Passed

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1194 and Rule XVIII.

lower

May 6, 2024

Lower · Passed

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1194 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6192, H.R. 7109, H.J. Res. 109 and H.R. 2925. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 6192 under a structured rule and H.R. 7109, H.J. Res. 109, and H.R. 2925 under a closed rule. Rule provides for one hour of general debate on H.R. 6192, H.R. 7109, and H.J. Res. 109, and thirty minutes of general debate on H.R. 2925. One motion to recommit allowed on each bill.

lower

Mar 26, 2024

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 118-432.

lower

Dec 5, 2023

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 20.

lower

Dec 5, 2023

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Nov 2, 2023

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

lower

Nov 2, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

Oct 24, 2023

Committee

Consideration and Mark-up Session Held by the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security Prior to Introduction and Referral

lower

1 primary · 10 co-sponsors