House Fails to Advance Bill Against Banning Gas Stovetops

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on May 22, 2023 Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The House failed to begin debate on a bill on June 6 to protect gas stoves—a development courtesy of a number of conservatives in an apparent move of discontent with House GOP leadership.

The tally was 206–220.

Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mt.), and Chip Roy (R-Texas) were the Republican no votes in addition to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who voted against the procedural move in order to bring it up for a vote again.

Burchett and Boebert were initially “yea” votes before switching to “nay.”

In the House, voting to move to the consideration of bills is required in order to proceed to a vote on the final passage or rejection of a measure.

The GOP votes against the resolution to move to the consideration of the Save Our Gas Stoves Act, Separation of Powers Restoration Act, the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, and the REINS Act come as members of the Freedom Caucus expressed anger at House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and the House GOP leadership team over last week’s debt ceiling legislation, which Freedom Caucus members and other Republicans panned as inadequate with regard to reducing America’s almost $32 trillion national debt.

The REINS Act would allow Congress to approve or disapprove of new major federal regulations.

On the House floor, Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) huddled with Freedom Caucus members.

Scalise was also spotted talking with Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) in the House chamber.

Clyde has accused House GOP leadership of telling him that it would be difficult for him to get his bill to block the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ pistol brace rule were Clyde to vote against proceeding with the then-debt ceiling bill to be voted on. On June 6, Scalise denied making this threat.

In comments to reporters, Freedom Caucus members expressed their frustration toward House GOP leadership.

“We’ve been lied to and we can’t trust people,“ said Buck. ”They’re going to have to make a trustworthy deal again, and then we can unify and move things forward.”

“We’re frustrated in the way this place is operating,” said Gaetz.

“We’re concerned that the fundamental commitments that allow Kevin McCarthy to assume the speakership have been violated as a consequence of the debt limit deal,” he added.

Boebert expressed frustration over not being allowed to bring up amendments to the House floor ahead of the final vote to pass the debt ceiling legislation.

The last time the House failed to move to begin debate of a measure was Nov. 14, 2002, according to CSPAN’s Howard Mortman.