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House passes bill shifting manufactured-home efficiency rulemaking from DOE to HUD
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Summary
After an hour of floor debate, the House passed H.R. 5184, the "Affordable Homes Act," which removes the Department of Energy's enforcement authority over energy-efficiency standards for manufactured housing and assigns primary regulatory responsibility to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The recorded vote was 263-147.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5184, the Affordable Homes Act, on a recorded vote of 263 yeas to 147 nays after roughly an hour of debate on the measure.
Supporters said the bill corrects overlapping federal authority that they say increases costs for manufactured housing builders. "This legislation will not diminish the energy efficiency of these homes," the gentleman from Ohio said in opening remarks, adding the change would restore a single regulatory home at HUD while allowing DOE to provide technical recommendations.
Opponents warned the bill would eliminate the Department of Energy's recent manufactured-home efficiency standard and raise residents' utility bills. "This bill does not solve this crisis. In fact, it only makes housing affordability worse," the ranking member from New Jersey said, citing DOE estimates of consumer savings and examples of high energy burdens among manufactured-home residents.
Members debated two competing policy frames. Backers argued that duplicative standards and enforcement by two agencies create uncertainty and raise production costs that keep homes out of reach for buyers; several Republican speakers described H.R. 5184 as a step to "cut red tape" and speed construction. Detractors countered that DOE's May 2022 rule modernized decades-old standards, that DOE is statutorily required to consult with HUD when setting standards, and that revoking DOE authority would forfeit projected long-term energy savings for low-income households.
The sponsor, recognized from the Indiana delegation, said the bill restores clarity and accountability for manufactured-housing regulation while preserving DOE's ability to advise HUD. Democrats repeatedly urged Congress instead to press DOE to strengthen standards and to address tariffs and other cost drivers cited as contributing to housing prices.
Following debate, the House ordered the ayes and nays and recorded the vote. The clerk announced the tally as 263 yeas and 147 nays and declared the bill passed. The motion to reconsider was laid on the table and the title was amended for enrollment.
Next steps: with passage in the House, the enrolled bill will proceed to the agreed-upon steps for enrollment and any further consideration required under the chamber's rules. No further on-the-floor actions were recorded during this session.
