I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7673 

To prohibit the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or enforcing energy 

conservation standards for clothes washers that are not cost-effective 

or technologically feasible, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2024 

Mr. OGLES (for himself, Mr. MOOLENAAR, and Mrs. HARSHBARGER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce 

A BILL 

To prohibit the Secretary of Energy from prescribing or 

enforcing energy conservation standards for clothes washers that are not cost-effective or technologically feasible, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Liberty in Laundry 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PRESCRIBING AND ENFORCING ENERGY CON2 SERVATION STANDARDS FOR CLOTHES 

3 WASHERS. 

4 (a) TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE AND ECONOMI5 CALLY JUSTIFIED.—Notwithstanding subsections (m), 

6 (n), and (o) of section 325 of the Energy Policy and Con7 servation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy 

8 may not— 

9 (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy con10 servation standard for a covered product that is a 

11 clothes washer under such section unless the Sec12 retary of Energy determines that the prescription 

13 and imposition of such energy conservation standard 

14 is technologically feasible and economically justified; 

15 or 

16 (2) enforce an energy conservation standard 

17 prescribed under such section for a covered product 

18 that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy 

19 determines that enforcement of or compliance with 

20 such energy conservation standard is not techno21 logically feasible or economically justified. 

22 (b) PROHIBITION ON INCREASED COSTS TO CON23 SUMERS.—Notwithstanding subsections (m), (n), and (o) 

24 of section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 

25 (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy may not— 


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•HR 7673 IH

1 (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy con2 servation standard for a covered product that is a 

3 clothes washer under such section unless the Sec4 retary of Energy determines that the prescription 

5 and imposition of such energy conservation standard 

6 is not likely to result in additional net costs to the 

7 consumer, including any increase in net costs associ8 ated with the purchase, installation, maintenance, 

9 disposal, and replacement of the covered product; or 

10 (2) enforce an energy conservation standard 

11 prescribed under such section for a covered product 

12 that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy 

13 determines that enforcement of or compliance with 

14 such energy conservation standard is likely to result 

15 in additional net costs to the consumer, including 

16 any increase in net costs associated with the pur17 chase, installation, maintenance, disposal, and re18 placement of the covered product. 

19 (c) SIGNIFICANT ENERGY SAVINGS REQUIRE20 MENT.—Notwithstanding subsections (m), (n), and (o) of 

21 section 325 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 

22 (42 U.S.C. 6295), the Secretary of Energy may not— 

23 (1) prescribe a new or an amended energy con24 servation standard for a covered product that is a 

25 clothes washer under such section if the Secretary of 


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•HR 7673 IH

1 Energy determines that the prescription and imposi2 tion of such energy conservation standard will not 

3 result in significant conservation of energy; or 

4 (2) enforce an energy conservation standard 

5 prescribed under such section for a covered product 

6 that is a clothes washer if the Secretary of Energy 

7 determines that enforcement of or compliance with 

8 such energy conservation standard will not result in 

9 significant conservation of energy. 

10 (d) COVERED PRODUCT; ENERGY CONSERVATION

11 STANDARD.—In this section, the terms ‘‘covered product’’ 

12 and ‘‘energy conservation standard’’ have the meanings 

13 given such terms in section 321 of the Energy Policy and 

14 Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291). 

Æ 


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