House passes bill to make it harder to regulate home appliance energy efficiency

The House on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at making it more difficult for the Energy Department to enact energy efficiency rules for household appliances — the latest in Republicans’ efforts related to such appliances. 

The vote was 212-195, with seven Democrats voting with Republicans in favor of the measure. The bill would both add hurdles to creating new appliance standards and make it easier to revoke existing standards. 

Republicans have repeatedly hammered Democrats over...