Experts Confirm: Biden-Era Regulations Make it Harder to Buy and Own Homes

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, participated in a Subcommittee on Energy hearing this week to examine how onerous building and energy efficiency standards raise housing costs and harm grid reliability. 

During the hearing, Rep. Pfluger had experts confirm that burdensome Biden-era Department of Energy (DOE) regulations have significantly increased the cost of buying and owning a home today. Since regaining control, Republicans have worked tirelessly to rein in these harmful policies that put a chokehold on hardworking Americans, and this testimony reinforces the need to keep going. 

Witnesses included Mr. Buddy Hughes, Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, Mr. Ben Lieberman, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Mr. Jim Steffes, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Washington Gas.

Read highlights of the exchange below:

Rep. Pfluger: Mr. Steffes, I'll go to you. You testified that 20% of Washington's gas service goes to federal facilities, including buildings at the White House and the Pentagon. What risks do you see if Section 433 forces those facilities to abandon natural gas in favor of an all-electric mandate?

Mr. Steffes: A few risks there, Congressman. Thank you for the question. First, the risk that I see is because energy security in multiple redundant networks to deliver energy is critical. I see a risk in national security and our ability, the country's ability, to continue to operate when storms come through, when matters that are critical to citizens are dealt with. I also see a fundamental question and challenge around affordability. As federal office buildings are mandated to move down one path and only one path clearly, they're going to spend more money when they could otherwise use a different technology and solution. We trust strongly that the federal government, the people who run the buildings and operate these facilities, will make the right choices for affordability, for reliability, for security, as well as for safety.

Rep Pfluger: Mr. Hughes, I'll go back to you. Forced electrification, you testified that the cost could be as much as 40% more. So, in the same way that we're asking federal buildings whether they want forced electrification, what's your opinion on that with houses?

Mr. Hughes: Well, again, it's all about the cost. It's going to drive up costs as we have to change appliances to meet those regulations. The cost of the appliance and the installation. It's all about the cost. And again, the point’s been made: the best plan in the world isn't worth anything if the homeowner, if the home buyer, can't afford it.

Rep Pfluger: Finally, Mr. Lieberman, a cost question. You note in your testimony that DOE rules could add hundreds of dollars to the cost of furnaces and water heaters. And what kind of effect is that going to create for first-time home buyers?

Mr. Ben Lieberman: It adds to the cost of that first-time home. I should say that the water heaters rule; it actually impacts existing homes a little bit more than the new homes, because most of those are built with the condensing furnaces. But again, there's a cost for existing homeowners, but there's also a cost for new homeowners. I think the biggest single appliance affecting new homes is central air conditioners, which have become very, very expensive because of this one-two punch of Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency regulations. But almost every room in the house has something that's going up in price, and it adds up.