Homeowner Energy Freedom Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1075, I call up the bill (H.R. 4758) to repeal provisions of Public Law 117-169 relating to taxpayer subsidies for home electrification, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

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Mr. LATTA. 4758.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4758, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Texas' 12th Congressional District.

The Homeowner Energy Freedom Act repeals disastrous policies from the Inflation Reduction Act that were used to subsidize expensive mandates and implement backdoor fossil fuel bans.

Today, in the United States, the dream of home ownership is out of reach for far too many Americans. In fact, 75 percent of households today cannot afford a medium-priced home.

Mr. Speaker, provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act to force States to implement green energy building codes only serve to make matters worse.

It is estimated that building codes associated with the HOMES rebate program raises the cost of a single-family home by $31,000. These building codes effectively prevent the use of natural gas and require expensive equipment to accommodate EV chargers and other intermittent energy sources.

It is important to remember that upwards of 60 percent of homes utilize natural gas appliances and that the number rises to more than 75 percent in colder climate States. These aren't just talking points. They are real-world impacts.

Take Kansas City, for example. After adopting the latest IECC building codes, the city saw a 22 percent decrease in construction permits, while the surrounding communities saw a 117 percent increase.

The data is clear. The cost of a new home goes up when Democrats get their green mandates in place. If the Biden administration's so-called energy efficiency regulatory agenda was cost effective for the American people, why did they also have to have a billion dollar slush fund to pay for it?

Instead of a one-size-fits-all mandate from Washington, House Republicans are focused on limiting the authority of the Federal Government, making it easier to build affordable homes and taking advantage of abundant natural gas reserves beneath our Nation.

Importantly, H.R. 4758 builds on the important work of the Working Families Tax Cut law by officially putting an end to these egregious authorities so future abuses cannot occur.

By passing this legislation, House Republicans are continuing to address the affordability for hardworking American households and responsibly protecting finite taxpayer resources.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, returning to the legislation before us, we are here to debate H.R. 4758, the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act. Again, I thank the gentleman from Texas' 12th Congressional District for sponsoring this legislation.

This legislation is about reversing the damage caused by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act's aggressive regulatory agenda and taxpayer-funded spending spree.

Whatever happened to the free market? What has happened to consumer choice?

Housing affordability is a critical issue facing the American people. Look at the numbers.

The costs associated with IRA programs this bill seeks to repeal significantly add to the price of new homes and lead to higher energy bills for the American people.

According to the Federal Reserve, median home prices have skyrocketed over the past decade, with the largest increase from 2020 to 2022, which saw a 40 percent increase in median homes.

When you talk about the home rebates that we are talking about here today and who is getting them, it provides taxpayer subsidies for households earning over 150 percent of the median household income for the area.

The data from 2024 shows that the median income in the District of Columbia was $104,800, meaning that households in Washington making up to $156,000 can receive taxpayer subsidies to upgrade their appliances. In the same numbers in 2024, median income for Massachusetts was $113,900, meaning that households making up to $170,850, which is nearly double the nationwide median household income, qualify.

H.R. 4758 brings the dream of homeownership back to millions of Americans.

By the way, let's talk about electricity costs again. We talk about this a lot, reliable power, affordable power. Look at the increases. Where is it? It starts in Maryland and goes to Maine. It is California. If I lived in those States, as I said before, I would call my legislators in those States and say: What are you doing out there? What is the Governor doing?

Look where those States are and look where the affordability crisis is in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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