This bill streamlines the House's consideration of resolutions regarding energy conservation standards for water heaters, waste emissions charges for petroleum and natural gas systems, and the congressional budget for fiscal years 2025-2034. It sets debate times and waives certain procedural points to expedite the process.
Erin Houchin
Representative
IN-9
This bill streamlines the House's consideration of three measures: disapproving the Department of Energy's energy conservation standards for water heaters, disapproving the EPA's rule on waste emissions charges for petroleum and natural gas systems, and establishing the congressional budget for fiscal year 2025 while setting budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026-2034. It sets specific debate times and waives certain procedural rules to expedite the process.
| Party | Total Votes | Yes | No | Did Not Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 218 | 217 | 0 | 1 |
Democrat | 215 | 0 | 211 | 4 |
House Sets Rules to Vote on Water Heater Standards, Oil & Gas Emissions Charges, and 2025 Budget
This bill, H. Con. Res. 14, lays out the procedural groundwork for the House of Representatives to tackle three big resolutions. It's essentially the rulebook for how Congress will debate and vote on: new energy conservation standards for gas-fired water heaters (H.J. Res. 20), charges for waste emissions from oil and gas systems (H.J. Res. 35), and the federal budget for 2025 (H. Con. Res. 14). The bill sets time limits for debates, outlines the amendment process, and even waives some usual procedural hurdles to streamline the whole process.
Fast-Tracking the Votes
The bill expedites the legislative process by waiving certain points of order. This means that some typical procedural objections that could slow things down are being set aside. For the water heater standards resolution (H.J. Res. 20) and the emissions charges resolution (H.J. Res. 35), debate is limited to one hour each, split between the leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee. For the 2025 budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 14), general debate is capped at three hours, with two hours focused on the budget itself and one hour dedicated to discussing economic goals and performance.
Real-World Implications
While this bill is mostly procedural, the resolutions it paves the way for could have tangible effects. For example, if H.J. Res. 20 passes, it could block new energy efficiency standards for water heaters, potentially affecting manufacturers and consumers, deciding between long-term energy savings and possibly different upfront costs. The resolution on waste emissions charges (H.J. Res. 35) could impact the operational costs of oil and gas companies, which might trickle down to consumer energy prices. The 2025 budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 14) is a massive piece of legislation that will set spending and revenue levels, directly impacting everything from government services to potentially, tax rates.
Potential Challenges
By waiving points of order and limiting debate times, the bill might raise eyebrows. Critics could argue that this approach rushes the legislative process, potentially reducing the opportunity for thorough review and public input. Imagine a contractor being told they have half the usual time to complete a complex job – it's possible some details might get overlooked. It will be important to keep an eye on how the expedited procedures impact the quality of the debate and the final decisions. This is especially important because the text of the bill allows the Speaker to move the House into a Committee to discuss the congressional budget, and skips the first reading of the resolution, which could limit transparency. (Section 4).
Connection to Existing Laws
This bill directly references and impacts the implementation of rules under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, which deals with congressional review of agency rulemaking. It also sets the stage for budgetary decisions that will influence the application of existing laws related to energy, environment, and government spending.