Congress blocks new rules for gas water heater efficiency.

What it does

Congress stopped a Department of Energy rule about gas water heaters. The rule would have made them use less energy. The rule is now void. People can still buy water heaters that use more gas. These heaters cost less to buy at first. But they cost more to run over time.

Who it affects

Consumers can buy cheaper water heaters upfront. But they will pay more in gas bills later. Water heater makers, gas companies, and stores are also affected.

One thing to notice

Congress blocked this rule using the Congressional Review Act. The agency cannot make a nearly identical rule without Congress voting again.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

29 cosponsors: 29 Republicans.

• Jan 15, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jan 15, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
• Feb 27, 2025 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 221 - 198, 2 Present (Roll no. 53). (text: CR H884)”
• Apr 10, 2025 — Passed both chambers · Congress.gov: “Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 44. Record Vote Number: 207”
• May 9, 2025 — Signed into law · Congress.gov: “Became Public Law No: 119-6”
• May 9, 2025 — Sent to president · Congress.gov: “Presented to President”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

5 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 9 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $19,910,000 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 9 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 78% of bills with any report.

Gary Palmer, who sponsored the bill, received $479,500 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. — $17,960,000 in 1 report
• Washington Gas Light Company — $1,200,000 in 2 reports
• National Propane Gas Association — $380,000 in 2 reports
• Cms Energy Corp — $370,000 in 2 reports
• 60 Plus Association — $0 in 2 reports

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• Congressional Review Act — A law that lets Congress stop rules made by federal agencies.
• Department of Energy — The federal agency that makes rules about machine energy use.
• void — No longer legal or in effect.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.