WASHINGTON – The U.S. House on Tuesday voted to block government bans on gas stoves in homes and businesses, after a group of conservatives who had stalled that proposal and other work on the House floor for a week struck a deal with their colleagues to restart consideration of legislation.
The House also on Tuesday announced its disapproval of a new rule that effectively outlaws the braces that stabilize handguns. The measure in support of gas stoves, House Resolution 1615 or the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, passed 248-180; the House voted 219-210 on the brace-stabilizing bill, House Joint Resolution 44.
Last week, 11 conservatives refused to go along with a procedural vote and joined Democrats to effectively stop floor votes on the gas stoves bill. But the issue was much larger than the future of the stoves found in about 40% on the country's homes. The cadre of conservatives were angry about the debt limit deal that was struck with the Democratic White House.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, blamed House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, for the mess, saying it was due to Scalise's misunderstanding of when a gun brace resolution would come to the floor for a vote.
In a rare counter to McCarthy, Scalise told a Capitol Hill newsletter, Punchbowl News, that the issue that needed to be worked out was, in fact, between McCarthy and conservative representatives, who back in January held their votes for speaker until McCarthy conceded on some issues.
Other representatives agreed with Scalise, telling reporters that they felt the debt limit deal House leadership struck with the Biden White House last month didn’t conform with promises McCarthy and other House leaders made to them in January. Even though their numbers are small the conservatives said they wanted to show House leadership that they could stall legislation because the GOP holds the House majority by a narrow 10 seats.
McCarthy announced Monday that the warring factions of House Republicans had come to a compromise. The House narrowly approved the procedural rules and began debate on the gas stove and gun brace bills late Tuesday afternoon.
Neither the gun brace resolution nor two bills banning the ban on gas stoves is likely to go anywhere.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said last week that Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, had informed senators that the gas stove bill would not be considered in the upper chamber.
Democrats and some Republicans called the stalled bills “messaging legislation,” mostly aimed at use during the next year’s election campaigns. Democrats have also said that federal regulators have no plans to ban gas stoves.
“This bill is an attempt to deliberately mislead the American public,” said U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey. “They are not considering banning gas stoves. This is a false narrative.”
He and other Democrats said the legislation would undermine the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s ability to test safety standards and recall products found to be dangerous, such as the agency did with hazardous sleeping materials in cribs. The CPSC “is basically going to be emasculated,” Pallone added.
But Scalise said this week’s House agenda is aimed at giving Congress more of a say in the regulations drafted by faceless bureaucrats that have huge impacts on everyday people’s lives.
“It’s all part of this government control agenda,” Scalise told his colleagues in the House. “This government control is out of control.”
Scalise added that the Biden administration has been attacking fossil fuels since Biden took office and that recent threats to gas stoves and cooktops are part of those attacks. The Biden administration has canceled pipeline projects, limited oil and gas drilling, and has moved to replace internal combustion engines with electric engines, Scalise said.
“You’re looking at an energy assault,” Scalise said.
Other Republicans blamed the possible gas stove ban on “green New Deal elites” more interested in climate change than in other issues.
At issue in H.J. Res. 44 was a recent rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives that determined stabilizing braces effectively turn handguns into short-barreled rifles, which are illegal.
The resolution's sponsor, Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Georgia, has argued that, under that rule, owners of guns outfitted with the braces who did not register their guns with the ATF before May 31 and who refuse to disassemble them have become automatic felons. The braces initially were used to help combat-wounded veterans steady their aim when at a firing range, he said.
Representatives who vote against the resolution will have to explain to voters why they oppose disabled veterans, Clyde said.
But Democratic members countered the addition also allows shooters to steady their aim on their shoulders, which turns easy-to-hide handguns into assault guns. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, pointed to mass shootings in which the braces were used, such as the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville where three 9-year-olds and three adults were killed.
The House on Tuesday also took up a debate on a second bill, H.R. 1640 or the Save our Gas Stoves Act, that would prohibit the Department of Energy from finalizing proposed energy-efficiency standards for kitchen ranges or ovens if such standards would mean gas stoves or other types of stoves could not be sold.
After procedural moves and amendments were added, H.R. 1640 was approved Wednesday afternoon on a vote of 249 to 181.