[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6107513,"mediaKeyId","2774071-91bec6d469c4dde3762a595670e39439","parentId",2774071,"title","Committee advances repeal efforts for two DOE 'midnight' efficiency rules after dueling testimony on costs and savings","audioSeconds",4498,"startMs",374000,"endMs",4872000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2774071-91bec6d469c4dde3762a595670e39439&start=374&end=4872","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2774071-91bec6d469c4dde3762a595670e39439/thumbnail_374000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6107513/Committee-advances-repeal-efforts-for-two-DOE-midnight-efficiency-rules-after-dueling-testimony-on-costs-and-savings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107513-8952c9cedf9d7745f71d641009a66336/orig.mp4?Expires=1773485711&Signature=Q3PHwfh0UMd8ipp4U1wJrkKWmUDHLt~xON0r2-Wco6fK6Nu7~Rh3oPL12BDVITSQDLST0Qo7hhJ7AnZpjivFKUBI3p9yzsjn4JmoDMd7VAlekpf2qGxUfZTNMQhRGJk~O9aw5lRh3-Iqm5r8NMghBJR8TCVyqx5RknvvGjDaGg6dlk8S35Me9Ya3uDjmcJYPO4Sg6pPEoZG4bO40bYrP0ZDmMAMzED9Nc~Nb-6x9Lj508g0t1W~xLbHhnUX5OAOubqYNlO9aLqehxJv3Kg50gek7DNRO7CGM4AanwK5tg1UySSPVu75jpYIrsBJ-5u58rIYWEh6PiOYLNJgAaIcdAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Rules","date","2025-03-25T10:15:00Z","article","The House Rules Committee approved closed rules to permit floor consideration of two Congressional Review Act measures — H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 — that seek to overturn recently finalized Department of Energy energy‑efficiency standards for walk‑in coolers and freezers and for commercial refrigeration equipment.

Why it matters: Supporters of repeal argued the DOE rules impose substantial upfront costs on small, independent retailers and rural businesses and may rely on test procedures that do not reflect real‑world use. Opponents said the standards will produce net energy and cost savings over time for businesses and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Representative Bob Latta, who introduced testimony supporting the resolutions, told the committee that DOE’s rules \"go well beyond its authority\" and that the agency’s cost estimates do not capture installation, building retrofits, downtime and supply‑chain effects. Latta said the Department of Energy estimated the rule affecting walk‑ins would impose roughly $960,000,000 in costs while creating burdens that fall disproportionately on small retailers.

\"These rules will have an outsized impact on small and independent businesses,\" Latta said, adding that many small grocers operate on \"1, 2, or 3 percent\" margins. He also noted concerns about technological feasibility and refrigerant transitions, and he described instances where DOE test assumptions (for example, counts of door openings per hour) may not match busy retail environments.

Representative Frank Pallone, the committee’s senior Democrat who testified in opposition to repeal, said the rules would lower operating costs and reduce emissions. Pallone cited the Department of Energy’s regulatory analysis showing long‑term savings: the walk‑in rule targeted by H.J. Res. 24 was estimated in DOE materials to save businesses about $6.5 billion and cut roughly 29 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over 30 years; the commercial refrigeration standards targeted by H.J. Res. 75 were estimated to save about $4.6 billion and cut nearly 20 million metric tons of emissions over 30 years, with an estimated payback of roughly 3.5 years for the covered equipment in many cases.

Committee members pressed both witnesses on feasibility and economic impacts. Latta highlighted examples of equipment with very long payback estimates in DOE materials (he cited an estimate of nearly 94 years for one transparent vertical commercial refrigerator model under DOE assumptions), while Pallone emphasized that DOE’s rulemaking process evaluates technological feasibility, economic justification and energy savings under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA).

Several Democrats objected to the lack of regular order: they said the Energy and Commerce Committee had not held hearings or markup opportunities for Members to review DOE technical assumptions before the Rules Committee considered a closed rule for repeal. Republicans countered with constituent testimony they said showed concern among small retailers.

Outcome: The Rules Committee package that included closed rules for H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 and a structured rule for H.R. 1048 was approved by the committee (recorded vote 7–3). The committee report and rule language will be entered into the House record and the items will proceed to floor consideration under the terms of the committee rule.

Ending: The closed rules will allow expedited floor consideration of the two Congressional Review Act resolutions and the related education bill; Members on both sides signaled further debate and amendment activity will occur on the House floor.

(Quotations in this article are taken from witness testimony and committee remarks as recorded in the hearing transcript.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rules Committee Hearing H.R. 1048, H.J. Res. 24, 75","oneSentenceSummary","The House Rules Committee approved closed rules to allow floor consideration of H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75, Congressional Review Act resolutions that would rescind recent Department of Energy efficiency rules for walk‑in coolers/freezers and commercial refrigeration.","taxTitle","Rules: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1984,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6107517,"Rules Committee approves structured rule for HR 1048 after extended debate on foreign‑gift reporting",6755,285000,7040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2774071-91bec6d469c4dde3762a595670e39439&start=285&end=7040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2774071-91bec6d469c4dde3762a595670e39439/thumbnail_285000.jpg","/articles/6107517/Rules-Committee-approves-structured-rule-for-HR-1048-after-extended-debate-on-foreigngift-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107517-1b172111f5e4a14c8346ecb725a1523d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773485711&Signature=fu8D-91m-9AYeEHRIk~he-cm4z1MzCvlTC8nroMxbjgTzOfV2nSwsbQWmy0Ih4GPkKlOFl7Cdz7MlT44KOGhh~Ai65uzc5XIR4zFkC4ZnKKlQHEqV6Vhi4m1vljHCHXN9Obu4Kd5yXNF5QcM0EPsd7NSI9nnA4Neh2BGM~Y1aLQgln8g5dd3Woq8x~zoM2gJ1FoNetXLdWB0nW4MU4kcsgQRy9cSxIgZwbyPtfLErkepO4dr~FYwxtAEqyB-DN0nLSn-K3jqSIVsDk3j5XpBUmNWnLdUpx-SU-yyV5xAt~Ql5D6Vtermtrc~uefqAoa1XoAdSXu~JuCoiyMr3HACCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Rules Committee approved a structured rule to consider HR 1048, the Deterrent Act, by a recorded vote of 7 yeas to 3 nays after extended debate over foreign‑gift reporting requirements for colleges and universities.

The bill would lower reporting thresholds and add enforcement tools tied to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act; supporters said the changes are needed to disclose foreign funding tied to adversary nations, while critics warned the measure would impose onerous compliance burdens and could chill international academic collaboration.

Why it matters: Proponents said stronger reporting and enforcement are needed to protect sensitive research and national security; opponents said the legislation would add nontrivial paperwork, risk discrimination against foreign‑born or international colleagues, and was being advanced while the Department of Education faces personnel cuts and an administration effort that some committee members say could dismantle the agency.

Chairman Tim Walberg, appearing as a witness from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said the bill was aimed at closing long‑standing gaps in Section 117 reporting. \"Foreign nations, including our biggest adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party, contribute billions to American universities,\" Walberg said. \"The lack of transparency around foreign relationships should cause concern for every American.\" He described the bill as providing \"strong enforcement mechanisms\" including, after repeated noncompliance, the withdrawal of federal student aid funding.

Representative Bobby Scott, the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, testified in opposition and warned the bill would increase workload for an Education Department he said the current administration is cutting. \"As written, the deterrent act would codify the Trump administration's ability to seize funds from schools if they're found to be engaging with any country or representative that the secretary of state deems a threat,\" Scott said, adding that the bill includes a $50,000 fine after a single reporting mistake and lacks supports for under‑resourced colleges.

Throughout the discussion, members raised the practical questions of implementation if the Education Department's workforce were reduced or if the Secretary of Education sought to transfer responsibilities. In response, supporters said Congress would determine alternative administrative homes if the department were abolished; Walberg said Section 117 could be carried out by another federal entity if necessary.

Several members also raised civil‑liberties and operational concerns. Representative James McGovern, the committee's ranking member, criticized the committee's priorities and warned the bill could be used as a tool against campuses and scholars: \"This is about punishing higher education institutions,\" McGovern said during his remarks. Other members pressed on how universities would identify the citizenship of collaborators and whether routine small gifts would become reportable if given by citizens of countries designated as \"countries of concern.\" Witnesses and members also referenced investigation findings and legacy reporting: committee discussion noted that Section 117 had not been actively enforced during the prior administration, and supporters cited congressional probes that found unreported foreign funding.

Votes at a glance

- Amendment (Houlihan/Hayes): offered to prevent HR 1048 from taking effect if the Department of Education were dismantled or its appropriation authority revoked. Result: failed (3 ayes, 7 nays).

- Rule granting the House floor closed/structured rule for H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 (closed rule) and HR 1048 (structured rule as printed in the committee report): passed by recorded vote (7 yeas, 3 nays). The motion to report the rule was made by Representative Morgan Griffith.

Formal actions and enforcement language discussed

Committee testimony and subsequent questions described enforcement tools in the bill and where reports would be filed: the bill directs reporting to the Department of Education (to be published in a central database updated on a set cadence), contemplates referral of certain violations to the Attorney General for civil enforcement, and contemplates withdrawal of federal student aid for persistent noncompliance. Supporters described the bill as lowering foreign‑gift thresholds (including removing a dollar floor for gifts tied to specified \"countries of concern\"), closing loopholes, and increasing civil penalties; opponents characterized some provisions as creating a high‑risk compliance environment (including the $50,000 fine mentioned during testimony) without commensurate compliance support for smaller institutions.

What happened next: After the committee vote, the rule package was reported to the House floor. The motion and roll‑call results are part of the committee record.

Speakers quoted above appear in the committee record and testimony; direct quotations in this article are attributed to those speakers as recorded during the hearing.

Ending: The structured rule clears the way for House floor consideration of HR 1048; further amendment activity and the ultimate floor vote on the underlying bill will determine whether the changes to Section 117 become law.","The House Rules Committee approved a structured rule to consider HR 1048, the Deterrent Act, by a recorded vote of 7 yeas to 3 nays after extended debate over foreign‑gift reporting requirements for colleges and universities.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances repeal efforts for two DOE 'midnight' efficiency rules after dueling testimony on costs and savings

Rules Committee approves structured rule for HR 1048 after extended debate on foreign‑gift reporting