East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

By Congressman Dan Newhouse

WASHINGTON D.C.–After the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) took major heat last month from considering a nationwide ban on gas stoves, the Biden Administration quickly reversed course, saying they would not support such a ban. However, this doesn’t mean the future of gas-powered appliances is completely safe—that the CPSC would make such a shocking push in the first place should not be taken lightly.

While it’s unlikely you’ll find government agents knocking on your door asking for you to hand over your gas stove, there is a strong possibility the government will instead regulate them out of existence, force manufacturers into taking gas-powered stoves or other appliances off their product lines, and prevent gas companies from running lines into new construction.

To those who claim I’m being an alarmist, it’s already happening in our own backyard. At the beginning of this year, a recent restriction set forth by the Washington State Building Code Council effectively banning natural gas heating in new construction homes and office buildings went into effect. Pacific Northwest National Lab estimated this requirement would add nearly $6,000 on average to the cost of new construction, a cost that will only be passed on to families and small business owners who are already struggling with high energy costs.

The worst part about all this? The basis for this recent push to ban natural gas in our homes is unscientific and alarmist. CPSC cited a meta-analysis that found gas stoves present an increased risk of asthma for children. What they conveniently forgot to mention, is this meta-analysis ignored a plethora of data that refuted this claim. And, unsurprisingly, they failed to mention this “increased risk” is negated when proper ventilation is present.

It’s clear the recent push to ban gas appliances from your homes is merely a Green New Deal boondoggle that will entirely ban natural gas from our energy portfolio. House Democrats have made it their top priority to strip away America’s ability to use natural gas, and this is only the first step.

Natural gas is reliable, efficient, affordable, and safe energy. During a time when Americans are struggling with skyrocketing energy prices, record-high inflation, and increasing grocery prices, our government leaders should be taking every step necessary to ease the financial burden for all communities. We should be unleashing our nation’s resources and giving the American people the relief, they desperately need.

America is no longer energy independent because of President Biden’s anti-American energy policies. I will continue to work to ensure that climate policies set forth by our leaders are backed up with fact-based evidence and common-sense solutions—not sensationalized decision making based on virtue signaling.

-Newhouse, a Republican, represents Washington’s Fourth Congressional District.