PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 13, 2025
Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 or the Natural GAS Act of 2025
This bill limits what the Department of Energy (DOE) may include in future energy conservation rules related to water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens. Energy conservation rules establish standards that set minimum energy efficiency levels or maximum energy usage for certain consumer products, such as appliances.
Specifically, the bill requires DOE to certify that the rules are not likely to result in a significant shift from gas appliances to electric appliances.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
As part of the rulemaking process, DOE must require a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards. In addition to measuring energy use at the site where the appliance is operated, a full fuel cycle analysis estimates the energy consumed in the extraction, processing, and transport of primary fuels; energy losses in thermal combustion in power-generation plants; and energy losses in transmission and distribution to homes and commercial buildings.
Further, such rules must require energy efficiency labels to disclose the full-fuel-cycle efficiency. Currently, the labels only disclose point-of-use energy consumption, which is based on the amount of energy used at the site where the appliance is operated.
In addition, the bill exempts certain small major household appliance manufacturers from future energy conservation rules for such appliances.
The bill also prohibits any future energy conservation rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens from limiting the features and functionality (e.g., quick-to-boil times) available on residential gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens.
People & committees
Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5] · R–OK
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jun 15, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-13 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 would add requirements for future federal rules on water heaters, furnaces, boilers, and cooking appliances. Officials would have to certify that those rules are unlikely to cause a significant switch from gas to electric equipment. The bill would also exempt qualifying small manufacturers, protect specified features of residential gas cooking appliances, and require additional energy information on certain consumer labels.
This Act may be cited as the Natural Gas Appliances Standards Act of 2025 or the Natural GAS Act of 2025.
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas water heaters to electric water heaters
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas furnaces or boilers to electric furnaces or boilers
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens to electric kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens
shall not limit the features and functionality available on residential gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens
shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the kitchen cooktop, range, or oven; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale.
For water-heater rules finalized after enactment under the amended section, the Secretary would have to require a full fuel cycle analysis and an energy descriptor—an energy-use measure. These would use the approach described in a specified 2009 National Academies report, which supplies the referenced methodology.
For any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009
For those future water-heater rules, the Secretary would also have to certify that a significant shift from gas to electric water heaters is unlikely in residential construction, commercial construction, or replacement of existing water heaters. This is a required assessment, not evidence that such a shift would or would not occur.
For any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall—
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas water heaters to electric water heaters with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or water heater replacement.
Future water-heater rules covered by the bill would have to require prominent disclosure of the analysis results and energy-use measure on labels that both provide energy-efficiency information required by the Federal Trade Commission and are visible to shoppers at the point of sale.
Any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph—
shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the water heater; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale.
The furnace-and-boiler section would delete clause (iii) of section 325(f)(1)(B) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and adjust the adjoining punctuation and conjunctions. The supplied text does not reproduce the deleted clause, so it does not establish what existing requirement would be removed.
Section 325(f) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295(f)) is amended— (a) in paragraph (1)(B)— (1) in clause (i), by adding and at the end after the semicolon; (2) in clause (ii), by striking and at the end and inserting a period; and (3) by striking clause (iii)
For furnace or boiler rules finalized after enactment under the amended section, the Secretary would have to require a full fuel cycle analysis and energy-use measure using the referenced 2009 National Academies approach.
For any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009
For those future furnace or boiler rules, the Secretary would have to certify that a significant shift from gas to electric furnaces or boilers is unlikely in residential construction, commercial construction, or equipment replacement.
For any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall—
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas furnaces or boilers to electric furnaces or boilers with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or furnace or boiler replacement.
The furnace-and-boiler section also proposes prominent label disclosure of the analysis results and energy-use measure. However, its label condition expressly refers to energy-efficiency information for a “water heater,” leaving uncertainty about how that requirement would apply to furnaces and boilers.
Any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph—
shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the water heater; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale.
For kitchen cooktop, range, and oven rules finalized after enactment under the amended section, the Secretary would have to require the same type of full fuel cycle analysis and energy-use measure based on the specified 2009 report.
For any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i) require as part of the rulemaking process the performance of a full fuel cycle analysis for energy efficiency standards and a full fuel cycle energy descriptor, as described in a letter report of the National Academies entitled Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and Full-Fuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to DOE/EERE Building Appliance Energy-Efficiency Standards and dated 2009
For those future cooking-appliance rules, the Secretary would have to certify that a significant shift from gas to electric cooktops, ranges, and ovens is unlikely in residential construction, commercial construction, or appliance replacement.
For any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall—
certify that the rule is not likely to result in a significant shift from gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens to electric kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens with respect to residential construction, commercial construction, or cooktop, range, and oven replacement.
Covered future cooking-appliance rules could not limit features or functionality available on residential gas cooktops, ranges, and ovens. Expressly protected examples include quick boiling, burner numbers and sizes, simmering and high-input burners, and grate designs, including continuous grates.
Any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not limit the features and functionality available on residential gas kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens, including— (I) quick-to-boil times; (II) the number and size of burners, including burners designed for simmering and high input rate burners; and (III) the design of grates, including continuous grates
Covered future cooking-appliance rules would have to require prominent disclosure of the analysis results and energy-use measure on labels that both provide Federal Trade Commission-required energy-efficiency information for the appliance and are visible to shoppers at the point of sale.
Any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph—
shall require the results of the analysis and resulting energy descriptor described in subparagraph (A)(i) to be prominently disclosed on any label that— (I) is required by the Federal Trade Commission to provide energy efficiency information of the kitchen cooktop, range, or oven; and (II) is visible to consumers at the point of sale.
Across all three appliance groups, rules under the amended sections finalized after enactment would not apply to qualifying small major household appliance manufacturers. Eligibility would follow the cited federal regulation or its successor; the bill does not state the size threshold itself.
Any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
Any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
Any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph—
shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
The supplied actions snapshot, updated June 15, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 13, 2025. That snapshot does not establish passage or enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-06-15T13:51:56Z. 2025-02-13: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 2025-02-13: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-13. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No provision unrelated to the appliance-rule subject was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the contents or attachment history of other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; formal earmark disclosures and accompanying materials are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains an express manufacturer exemption within its main appliance-rule policy. Identifying that exemption is not a judgment about its justification.
Qualifying small major household appliance manufacturers would receive an exemption from post-enactment rules under the amended sections for water heaters, furnaces and boilers, and kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens. This is a specific exemption from the rules themselves, not merely from the bill's analysis requirement. Eligibility depends on the cited federal regulation or its successor.
Any rule relating to water heaters under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
Any rule relating to furnaces or boilers under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph— (i) shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
Any rule relating to kitchen cooktops, ranges, and ovens under this section that is finalized after the date of enactment of this paragraph—
shall not apply to small major household appliance manufacturers (as defined in section 121.201 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations))
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jun 15, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI