Congress blocks energy efficiency rules for federally financed housing, shifting costs to homebuyers
H.R. 75 — HOUSE Act of 2025 · Filed by Andy Biggs (R-AZ) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 3, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill orders HUD and USDA to withdraw a 2024 rule requiring energy efficiency standards for federally financed housing, blocks those agencies and Veterans Affairs from enforcing similar rules, and prevents the Federal Housing Finance Agency from setting energy efficiency rules for mortgages. It also amends housing law to require that at least 26 states adopt matching energy codes before federal standards can apply.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is the withdrawal of federal energy standards and a prohibition on their enforcement or replacement. It is functionally a deregulation measure, not a housing affordability bill, despite the title's framing around 'unaffordable' rules.
What the text implies
- The 26-state threshold in subsection (c)(3) creates a de facto veto: federal standards cannot apply unless 26 states independently adopt matching codes, a high bar that may never be met, effectively cementing the withdrawal.
- Blocking FHFA from setting energy standards removes oversight of mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—the largest mortgage market—allowing lenders to finance inefficient housing without federal guardrails.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
homebuilders and developers (reduced compliance costs); mortgage lenders and servicers (reduced underwriting scrutiny); HVAC and construction suppliers (no pressure to adopt efficient systems)